Thermal Neutron Detection Efficiency Research Articles

Neutron measurements with ultra-thin 3D silicon sensors in a radiotherapy treatment room using a Siemens PRIMUS linac

The accurate detection and dosimetry of neutrons in mixed and pulsed radiation fields is a demanding instrumental issue with great interest both for the industrial and medical communities. In recent studies of neutron contamination around medical linacs, there is a growing concern about the secondary cancer risk for radiotherapy patients undergoing treatment in photon modalities at energies greater than 6 MV. In this work we present a promising alternative to standard detectors with an active method to measure neutrons around a medical linac using a novel ultra-thin silicon detector with 3D electrodes adapted for neutron detection. The active volume of this planar device is only 10 µm thick, allowing a high gamma rejection, which is necessary to discriminate the neutron signal in the radiotherapy peripheral radiation field with a high gamma background. Different tests have been performed in a clinical facility using a Siemens PRIMUS linac at 6 and 15 MV. The results show a good thermal neutron detection efficiency around 2% and a high gamma rejection factor.

Present status of microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors

Semiconductor diode detectors coated with neutron reactive materials have been investigated as neutron detectors for many decades, and are fashioned mostly as planar diodes coated with boron-10 (10B), lithium-6 fluoride (6LiF) or gadolinium (Gd). Although effective, these detectors are limited in efficiency (the case for boron and LiF coatings) or in the ability to distinguish background radiations from neutron-induced interactions (the case for Gd coatings). Over the past decade, a renewed effort has been made to improve diode designs to achieve up to a 10-fold increase in neutron detection efficiency over the simple planar diode designs. These new semiconductor neutron detectors are fashioned with a matrix of microstructured patterns etched deeply into the substrate and, subsequently, backfilled with neutron reactive materials. Intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiencies exceeding 40% have been achieved with devices no thicker than 1mm while operating on less than 5V.

High aspect ratio composite structures with 48.5% thermal neutron detection efficiency

The pillar structured thermal neutron detector is based on the combination of high aspect ratio silicon p-i-n pillars surrounded by the neutron converter material 10B. By etching high aspect ratio pillar structures into silicon, the result is a device that efficiently absorbs the thermal neutron flux by accommodating a large volume fraction of 10B within the silicon pillar array. Here, we report a thermal neutron detection efficiency of 48.5% using a 50 μm pillar array with an aspect ratio of 25:1.

A position-sensitive detector with lithium glass and MaPMT

A position-sensitive detector is designed for neutron detection. It uses a single continuous screen of a self-made lithium glass scintillator, rather than discrete crystal implementations, coupling with a multi-anode PMT (MaPMT). The scintillator is fast and efficient; with a decay time of 34 ns and thermal neutron detection efficiency of around 95.8% for the 3 mm thick screen, and its light yield is around 5670 photons per neutron and 3768 photons per MeV γ rays deposition. The spatial resolution is around 1.6 mm (FWHM) with the energy resolution around 34.7% by using α (5.2 MeV) rays test.

Pulse Shape Discrimination With Selected Elpasolite Crystals

In recent years, a number of materials from the elpasolite crystal family have been under development for either or both gamma ray and neutron detection. The scintillators show good energy resolution and thermal neutron detection efficiency. The latter is achieved due to the fact, that the selected compositions contain Li-6 ions. In order to effectively and reliably register both types of radiation, it is necessary to separate them through particle identification schemes. This can be accomplished using either pulse height or/and pulse shape discrimination, with the latter being more reliable. In this paper, we summarize our work and provide current status of pulse shape discrimination in the selected elpasolite scintillators. These include Cs2LiYCl6 (CLYC), Cs2LiLaCl6(CLLC), Cs2LiLaBr6(CLLB), and Cs2LiYBr6(CLYB).

Boron filling of high aspect ratio holes by chemical vapor deposition for solid-state neutron detector applications

A multiple deposition and etching process has been developed to enable high fill factor boron deposition in high aspect ratio holes fabricated in a (100) silicon substrate. The boron deposition was carried out using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and the etching was done by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching technique. The boron deposition processes were carried out under different conditions in order to find a baseline process condition. The boron etching processes done under different conditions with the photoresist as the mask are also discussed. Finally, the fabricated neutron detector with the highest fill factor was characterized for the thermal neutron detection efficiency.

Detection of neutrons and γ rays by a xenon pulsed ionization chamber

The applicability of a xenon γ-ray spectrometer based on a high-pressure (50 atm) xenon cylindrical ionization chamber to thermal neutron detection is discussed. The reaction of radiative capture of thermal neutron capture 131Xe(n, γ)132Xe* followed by emission of 668-keV γ rays detectable by the spectrometer is used. The response of the xenon spectrometer with a sensitive volume of 0.2 L is analyzed. The measured thermal neutron detection efficiency is 0.08%. The advantage of the detector is its capability of simultaneously detecting both thermal neutrons and γ rays, which allows precise and high-efficiency identification of radioactive and fissile materials.

Self-powered micro-structured solid state neutron detector with very low leakage current and high efficiency

We report on the design, fabrication, and performance of solid-state neutron detector based on three-dimensional honeycomb-like silicon micro-structures. The fabricated detectors use boron filled deep holes with aspect ratio of over 12 and showed a very low leakage current density of ∼7 × 10−7 A/cm2 at −1 V for device sizes varying from 2 × 2 to 5 × 5 mm2. A thermal neutron detection efficiency of 4.5% ± 0.5% with discrimination setting of 500 keV and gamma to neutron sensitivity of (1.1 ± 0.1) × 10−5 for single layer was measured without external bias for these devices. Monte-Carlo simulation predicts a maximum efficiency of 45% for such devices filled with 95% enriched 10boron.

A large-area two-dimensional scintillator detector with a wavelength-shifting fibre readout for a time-of-flight single-crystal neutron diffractometer

A two-dimensional scintillator-based neutron detector that has a neutron-sensitive area of 256×256mm2 with a pixel size of 4mm was developed. The detector was designed to be compact and modular with the smallest dead area for the SENJU time-of-flight Laue single-crystal diffractometer to be constructed in the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility at the Japanese Proton Accelerator Research Complex. The detector employed wavelength-shifting (WLS) fibres to collect scintillation light generated in a neutron-sensitive scintillator. The 64 WLS fibres with a diameter of 1mm were regularly spaced at a pitch of 4mm both in the x and y directions to produce a detector with a large neutron-sensitive area and a small number of electronics channels. Two ZnS/10B2O3 scintillator screens with an optimised scintillator thickness sandwiched the cross-arranged WLS fibre arrays to ensure a high detection efficiency for thermal neutrons. The prototype detector exhibited a detector efficiency of 40±1%(mean±SD) for 1.6Å neutrons and a 60Co gamma-ray sensitivity of 6.0±0.1×10−6, which fulfilled the required detector specifications for SENJU.

A novel method for detecting neutrons using low density high porosity aerogel and saturated foam

As a result of the recent shortage of 3He for neutron detection, several new detectors have been proposed as viable alternatives. Thin-film coated diodes and boron-lined proportional counters are suggested options, but both suffer from the “wall-effect”, where only one interaction product can be measured per event. The “wall-effect” greatly reduces the neutron detection efficiency of the device. A new method is presented using low-density high-porosity materials where both reaction products can escape the absorber and contribute to a single event. Measuring both reaction products simultaneously greatly increases the detection efficiency of the device. Experimentally obtained pulse-height spectra from saturated foam and borosilicate aerogel detectors are presented. Aerogel is a low-density solid, typically less than 50mg/cm3, and can be developed with 10B in the structure. The thermal neutron response pulse-height spectrum from borosilicate aerogel is presented. Additionally, polyurethane foam, another low-density high-porosity material, was saturated with LiF and B2O3 to levels greater than 20 percent by weight and tested as a neutron detection medium. The foam saturated with 4.5 percent 6LiF was cut into 10 sheets, each 2mm thick, and a neutron response pulse-height spectrum was collected. The thermal neutron detection efficiency was measured to be 7.3 percent, and the neutron to gamma-ray rejection ratio, acquired using a 137Cs gamma-ray source, was calculated to be 1.71×106. Theoretical calculations also show that neutron detection efficiencies above 60 percent can be easily achieved using enriched 6LiF foam at 20 percent or higher saturation levels.

Towards high efficiency solid-state thermal and fast neutron detectors

Variety of applications of fast neutron detection utilize thermal neutron detectors and moderators. Examples include homeland security applications such as portal monitors and nuclear safeguards which employ passive systems for detection of fissile materials. These applications mostly rely on gas filled detectors such as 3He, BF3 or plastic scintillators and require high voltage for operation. Recently there was considerable progress in the development of solid-state neutron detectors. These operate by detection of charged particles emitted from neutron interactions with a converter material. In order to increase neutron detection efficiency to a usable level, the thickness of the converter material must exceed the range of the charged particles in the converter, which limits the efficiency of planar detectors to several percent. To overcome this limitation three dimensional structured solid-state devices are considered where the converter can be thicker but still allow the charged particles to escape into the semiconductor. In the research described here this was accomplished by a semiconductor device that resembles a honeycomb with hexagonal holes and thin silicon walls filled with the converter material. Such design can theoretically achieve about 45% thermal neutron detection efficiency, experimentally about 21% was observed with a partially filled detector. Such detectors can be fabricated in variety of sizes enabling designs of directional fast neutron detectors. Other converter materials that allow direct detection of fast neutrons were also considered by both simulation and experiments. Because the semiconductor thickness is less than a few hundred microns, the efficiency of these detectors to γ-ray(s) is very low.With further developments these new solid-state neutron detectors can replace gas ionization based detectors in most applications.

Improved High Efficiency Stacked Microstructured Neutron Detectors Backfilled With Nanoparticle $^{6}$LiF

Silicon diodes with large aspect ratio trenched microstructures, backfilled with <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</sup> LiF, show a dramatic increase in thermal neutron detection efficiency beyond that of conventional thin-film coated planar devices. Described in this work are advancements in the technology using detector stacking methods to increase thermal neutron detection efficiency, along with the current process to backfill <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</sup> LiF into the silicon microstructures. The highest detection efficiency realized thus far is over 42% intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency by device-stacking methods. The detectors operate as conformally diffused pn junction diodes each having 1 cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> area. Two individual devices were mounted back-to-back with counting electronics coupling the detectors together into a single dual-detector device. The solid-state silicon device was operated at 3 V and utilized simple signal amplification and counting electronic components that have been adjusted from previous work for slow charge integration time. The intrinsic detection efficiency for normal-incident 0.0253 eV neutrons was found by calibrating against a <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> He proportional counter.

Improved micro-pixel detector element for neutron measurement under high pressure

A micro-pixel detector element with robustness for high voltage was developed by an improved fabrication process, and an irradiation experiment was performed using a Cf-252 neutron source. The withstand voltage of the developed element was improved, allowing the element to operate at voltages of up to 750 V at a total pressure of 5 atm (4.1 atm of He and 0.9 atm of CF4). The measured gas gain was approximately 100, and the thermal neutron detection efficiency was estimated to be approximately 70% at a gas pressure of 5 atm. The flat-field image showed good homogeneity and an average gain spread of approximately 8.7%.

Investigation of a lithium foil multi-wire proportional counter for potential 3He replacement

The recent shortage in the supply of 3He for neutron detection has caused a large surge in research for a viable replacement. 6Li has a large cross section for the absorption of thermal neutrons and emits two relatively short-ranged interaction products. Li foil can now be manufactured thin enough to allow both reaction products to escape the foil. Ten layers of natural Li foil were placed in a multi-wire continuous flow gas chamber with a single anode wire between each foil. Four different thicknesses, 30, 50, 75 and 120 μm, were tested in a thermalized neutron beam. The intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiencies of 10 layers of 30, 50, and 75 μm thick Li foil were measured to be 8.1, 11.1, and 15.7 percent. The n/γ ratio was found to be 1.25×10 7 using a 137Cs gamma-ray source. Additionally, neutron response pulse-height spectra of the four foil thicknesses are presented and compare well to simulated response spectra. Theoretical calculations show that thermal neutron detection efficiencies above 70 percent are achievable using enriched 6Li foils for the same detector geometries.

A CdTe detector with a Gd converter for thermal neutron detection

Abstract A CdTe detector with a Gd converter has been developed and investigated as a neutron detector for neutron imaging. The fabricated Gd/CdTe detector with the 25 μm thick Gd was designed on the basis of simulation results of thermal neutron detection efficiency and spatial resolution. The energy resolution of the Gd/CdTe detector is less than 4 keV, which is enough to discriminate neutron capture gamma rays from background gamma emission. The Gd/CdTe detector shows the detection of neutron capture gamma ray emission in the 155 Gd(n, γ) 156 Gd, 157 Gd(n, γ) 158 Gd and 113 Cd(n, γ) 114 Cd reactions and characteristic X-ray emissions due to conversion-electrons generated inside the Gd film. The observed efficient thermal neutron detection with the Gd/CdTe detector shows its promise in neutron radiography application.

Microchannel plate special nuclear materials sensor

Abstract Nova Scientific Inc., is developing for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO SBIR #HSHQDC-08-C-00190), a solid-state, high-efficiency neutron detection alternative to 3He gas tubes, using neutron-sensitive microchannel plates (MCPs) containing 10B and/or Gd. This work directly supports DNDO development of technologies designed to detect and interdict nuclear weapons or illicit nuclear materials. Neutron-sensitized MCPs have been shown theoretically and more recently experimentally, to be capable of thermal neutron detection efficiencies equivalent to 3He gas tubes. Although typical solid-state neutron detectors typically have an intrinsic gamma sensitivity orders of magnitude higher than that of 3He gas detectors, we dramatically reduce gamma sensitivity by combining a novel electronic coincidence rejection scheme, employing a separate but enveloping gamma scintillator. This has already resulted in a measured gamma rejection ratio equal to a small 3He tube, without in principle sacrificing neutron detection efficiency. Ongoing improvements to the MCP performance as well as the coincidence counting geometry will be described. Repeated testing and validation with a 252Cf source has been underway throughout the Phase II SBIR program, with ongoing comparisons to a small commercial 3He gas tube. Finally, further component improvements and efforts toward integration maturity are underway, with the goal of establishing functional prototypes for SNM field testing.

Enhanced variant designs and characteristics of the microstructured solid-state neutron detector

Silicon diodes with large aspect ratio perforated microstructures backfilled with 6 LiF show a dramatic increase in neutron detection efficiency beyond that of conventional thin-film coated planar devices. Described in this work are advancements in the technology with increased microstructure depths and detector stacking methods to increase thermal neutron detection efficiency. The highest efficiency devices thus far have delivered over 37% intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency by device-coupling stacking methods. The detectors operate as conformally diffused pn junction diodes with 1 cm 2 square-area. Two individual devices were mounted back-to-back with counting electronics coupling the detectors together into a single dual-detector device. The solid-state silicon device operated at 3 V and utilized simple signal amplification and counting electronic components. The intrinsic detection efficiency for normal-incident 0.0253 eV neutrons was found by calibrating against a 3 He proportional counter and a 6 LiF thin-film planar semiconductor device. This work is a part of on-going research to develop solid-state semiconductor neutron detectors with high detection efficiencies and uniform angular responses.

Characterization of prototype perforated semiconductor neutron detectors

Semiconductor detectors whose surfaces are coated with neutron-reactive material can be made to detect thermal neutrons, but with efficiencies only of a few percent. However, perforating the semiconductor material, filling the perforations with neutron-reactive material, and then coating the detector surface can lead to neutron detectors of much higher thermal neutron detection efficiencies, perhaps approaching or exceeding 50%. Several perforated semiconductor neutron detectors have been constructed, both for dosimetry and for position-sensitive neutron detection. The characterization of prototype devices based on these detectors is described.

Microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors

Perforated semiconductor neutron detectors are compact diode detectors that operate at low power and can be fashioned to have high thermal neutron detection efficiency. Fabricated from high-purity Si wafers, the perforations are etched into the diode surface with ICP-RIE and backfilled with 6LiF neutron reactive material. The intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency depends upon many factors, including the perforation geometry, size, and depth. Devices were fabricated from high resistivity 10 k Ω cm n-type Si with conformal p-type shallow junction diffusions into the perforations, which demonstrate improved neutron detection performance over previous selectively diffused designs. A comparison was made to previous selectively diffused designs, and pulse height spectra show improved signal-to-noise ratio, higher neutron counting efficiency, and excellent gamma-ray discrimination. Devices with 20 ( average ) μ m wide 100 μ m deep sinusoidal trenches yielded intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiencies of 11.94 ± 0.078 %.

High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Neutron Imaging With Microchannel Plate Detectors

Special microchannel plates (MCPs) developed by Nova Scientific Inc. incorporate high efficiency neutron conversion materials into the MCP to provide a high neutron stopping power. <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> B and <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">nat</sup> Gd have high interaction cross sections for thermal neutrons and their incorporation into MCP glass is a convenient way to make efficient MCPs for neutron detection with high spatial resolution. We have evaluated neutron event counting 2D imaging detectors using these MCPs with a cross delay line readout, cross strip readout, and a Medipix2 readout. Tests at several reactors with the cross delay line and cross strip readouts have established spatial resolution with neutrons as good as ~30 microns FWHM over a 27 mm diameter detector, with event rates approaching 1 MHz, low fixed pattern noise, event time tagging of 25 ns and intrinsic background rates of < 0.05 events cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-2</sup> sec <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-1</sup> . Evaluation of neutron sensing MCP detector with Medipix2 readout (14 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> ) has allowed operation at high counting rates (500 MHz) with the spatial resolution limited by the 55 micron pixel size of the Medipix2 readout. We have also used the Medipix2 for centroiding of neutron events to sub pixel resolution to obtain better spatial resolution (< 15 mum) for neutrons at reduced event rates (100 kHz). Initial measurements of thermal neutron detection efficiencies give values of 20% to 25% for thermal neutrons and 45% for cold neutrons without optimization of the detection geometry. Preliminary tests with shielding and a LaBr scintillator to gate neutron detections in coincidence with gamma rays produced by neutron interactions has enabled gamma ray rejection factors of 3 times 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sup> to be achieved. Further improvements in the neutron detection efficiency and gamma ray discrimination efficiency can be gained by optimization of the geometrical and electronic configurations.