Method and system for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, solid state detector for use therein, and imaging system and array of such detectors for use therein
First Claim
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1. A method for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the method comprising:
- positioning at least one solid state detector to receive the neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the at least one solid state detector including;
a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region; and
processing the first and second signals to distinguish between the neutron emissions and the ionizing radiation measured by the at least one solid state detector.
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Abstract
A method and system for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, such as gamma emissions, solid state detector for use therein, and imaging system and array of such detectors for use therein are provided using Cd- and/or Hg-containing semiconductors or B-based, Li-based or Gd-based semiconductors. The resulting systems and detectors used therein may be not only compact and portable, but also capable of operating at room temperature. The detectors may also be operable as gamma ray spectrometers.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the method comprising:
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positioning at least one solid state detector to receive the neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the at least one solid state detector including;
a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region; and
processing the first and second signals to distinguish between the neutron emissions and the ionizing radiation measured by the at least one solid state detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the system comprising:
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at least one solid state detector including;
a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the fist semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region; and
a signal processor for processing the first and second signals to distinguish between the neutron emissions and corresponding ionizing radiation measured by the at least one solid state detector. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A solid state detector for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the detector comprising:
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a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the fist semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An array of solid state detectors for measuring neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, each of the detectors comprising:
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a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the fist semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An imaging system for imaging neutron emissions and ionizing radiation, the system comprising:
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an array of solid state detectors, each of the detectors including;
a first semiconductor active region comprising at least one material having a first concentration sufficient for generating neutron-induced ionizing radiation in response to neutron absorptions and for generating a first electronic signal in response to the neutron absorptions and corresponding ionizing radiation;
a second semiconductor active region comprising the at least one material having a second concentration lower than the first concentration so as to be substantially less responsive to the neutron emissions for generating a second electronic signal in response to neutron-induced radiation emissions; and
a shield positioned to shield the neutron-induced ionizing radiation emitted from the first semiconductor active region so that the second semiconductor active region in unaffected by the ionizing radiation from the fist semiconductor active region, and the second electronic signal from the second semiconductor active region is not generated in response to the neutron-induced ionizing radiation from the first semiconductor active region; and
an array of sheets of high-density material for separating adjacent solid state detectors. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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Specification