SOLID-STATE NEUTRON AND ALPHA PARTICLES DETECTOR AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING AND USE THEREOF
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Abstract
A solid-state detector for detection of neutron and alpha particles detector and methods for manufacturing and use thereof are described. The detector has an active region formed of a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder. The particulate semiconductor material contains at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury. The semiconductor compound is sandwiched between an electrode assembly configured to detect the neutron and alpha particles interacting with the bulk of the active region. The binder can be either an organic polymer binder or inorganic binder. The organic polymer binder comprises at least one polymer that can be selected from the group comprising polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and Nylon-6. The inorganic binder can be selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1-49. -49. (canceled)
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50. A polycrystalline semiconductor compound for use in a solid-state neutron detector, comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury,
said binder possessing one of the following features: -
(i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. A solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector having an active region formed of a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury, said semiconductor compound being sandwiched between an electrode assembly configured to detect the neutron and alpha particles interacting with the bulk of said active region,
said binder possessing one of the following features: -
(i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An imaging system for imaging an object, the system comprising:
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(a) a solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector placed in a location to be exposed to a stream of neutrons passing through said object, said solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector having an active region made of a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury, said semiconductor compound being sandwiched between a continuous upper electrode and a bottom electrode associated with a detection pixilated substrate constituted by an array of pixel elements, said binder possessing one of the following features; (i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass; (b) a processing system coupled to said detection pixilated substrate and adapted for reading the current, performing image processing and generating a signal indicative of said object; and (c) an image display coupled to said processing system and configured for obtaining said signal, thereby displaying the object. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method of fabrication of a solid state neutron and alpha particles detector, comprising:
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(a) providing a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury; said binder possessing one of the following features; (i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass; (b) attaching the polycrystalline semiconductor compound to a detection pixilated substrate constituted by an array of pixel elements; and (c) depositing a continuous layer of conductive material on said bulk plate, thereby to form a continuous electrode of the detector. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of detecting neutrons and alpha particles, the method comprising:
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(a) positioning a solid state neutron and alpha particles detector in a location to allow the detector to intercept a stream of neutrons and/or alpha particles, said solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector having an active region made of a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and 199Mercury, said semiconductor compound being sandwiched between a continuous upper electrode and a bottom electrode associated with a detection pixilated substrate constituted by an array of pixel elements, said binder possessing one of the following features; (i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass; (b) applying electric field is applied between the upper and bottom electrodes by applying high voltage thereacross, and (c) reading the current from the detection pixilated substrate. - View Dependent Claims (78)
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79. A method for imaging an object containing elements sensitive to neutron radiation, comprising:
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(a) providing a solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector having an active region made of a polycrystalline semiconductor compound comprising a particulate semiconductor material sensitive to neutron radiation imbedded in a binder, said particulate semiconductor material containing at least one element sensitive to neutron and alpha particles radiation, selected from a group including 10Boron, 6Lithium, 113Cadmium, 157Gadolinium and Mercury, said semiconductor compound being sandwiched between a continuous upper electrode and a bottom electrode associated with a detection pixilated substrate constituted by an array of pixel elements, said binder possessing one of the following features; (i) said binder is an organic polymer binder comprising at least one polymer selected from polystyrene, polypropylene, Humiseal™ and
Nylon-6;(ii) said binder is an inorganic binder selected from B2O3, PbO/B2O3/, Bi2O3/PbO, Borax glass, Bismuth Borate glass and Boron Oxide based glass; (b) placing said solid-state neutron and alpha particles detector in a location to allow the detector to intercept a stream of neutrons, said solid-state neutron passing through said object (c) applying electric field between the upper and bottom electrodes by applying high voltage thereacross, (d) reading the current from the detection pixilated substrate; (e) performing image processing and generating a signal indicative of said object; and (f) displaying at least a part of the object containing elements sensitive to neutron radiation. - View Dependent Claims (80)
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Specification