Designs for thin-film-coated semiconductor thermal neutron detectors

McGregor, Douglas S.; Klann, R. T.; Gersch, H.K.; Sanders, J.E.

doi:10.1109/nssmic.2001.1009315

Cited by 25 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Polarization and readout are not a problem, since all contacts to/from the strip can be directed to wide bonding pads where contact with the equipment is made using standard automatic bonding techniques borrowed from the semiconductor industry. For prototype building, the possibility of using 6 LiF as an absorber has also to be taken into account. The lower value of the absorption cross section (compared to 10 B) is compensated by a much easier deposition procedure of layers with thickness in the range of 1-2 µm.…”

Section: Conclusion and Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Superconducting Strips: A Concept in Thermal Neutron Detection

Merlo

2018

Instruments

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Abstract:In the never-ending quest for better detection efficiency and spatial resolution, various thermal neutron detection schemes have been proposed over the years. Given the presence of some converting layers (typically boron, but 6 LiF is also widely used nowadays), the shift towards concepts based on solid state detectors has been steadily increasing and ingenious schemes thereby proposed. However, a trade-off has been always sought for between efficiency and spatial resolution; the problem can be (at least partially) circumvented using more elaborate geometries, but this complicates the sample preparation and detector construction. Thus, viable alternatives must be found. What we proposed (and verified experimentally) is a detection scheme based on the superconducting to normal transition. More precisely, using a boron converting layer, the α particles (generated in the (n, α) reaction) crossing a low critical temperature superconducting strip some 10 µm wide have been detected; the process, bolometric in nature and based on the ionization energy loss, is intrinsically fast and the spatial resolution very appealing. In this work, some of the work done so far will be illustrated, together with the principles of the measurement and various related problems. The realization of the detector is based on industrial deposition and photolitographic techniques well within the grasp of a condensed matter laboratory, so that there is substantial room for improvement over our elementary strip geometry. Some of the plans for future work will also be presented, together with some improvements both in the choice of the materials and the geometry of the detector.

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Section: Conclusion and Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Superconducting Strips: A Concept in Thermal Neutron Detection

Merlo

2018

Instruments

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“…After the B Li reaction at a thermal neutron energy, 94% of the reactions lead to the first excited state of Li, where the outgoing Li energy is 0.84 MeV and the energy of Li leads to a higher reaction probability of the Li H reaction at a thermal energy. However, the high-energy reaction products from the Li H reaction lead to a greater ease of detection than the particles from the B Li [4]. The thermal neutron detection efficiencies of the converter foil were calculated as a function of the converter thickness.…”

Section: Calculation Of the Neutron Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, McGregor et al calculated the neutron efficiency of a semiconductor-based foil detector [4]. In their calculation, a neutron flux through the foil as a function of distance was described by exponential function, and the energy loss of the charged particle was described by Beth-Bloche law.…”

Section: Calculation Of the Neutron Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neutron detection with a GEM

Park

Kim

2005

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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Since the Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) was introduced, it has been developed in many application areas. We have developed a cascade GEM for a neutron detector. The neutron efficiency of a converting foil was calculated with Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) and transport of ions in matter (TRIM). The neutron efficiency of multi GEMs was also calculated. The boron compound was coated onto the drift plate, and the neutron was measured with a gas chamber installed with a GEM. The stabilization process of a boron coating onto a GEM foil has been developed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute.

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“…The first solution was to have stack of planar sensors coated with 6 LiF [5]. A big improvement can be obtained by using micro-machining technologies to obtain three dimensional geometries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Semiconductor neutron detectors

Mendicino¹,

Betta²,

Boscardin³

et al. 2015

Proceedings of 24th International Workshop on Vertex Detectors — PoS(VERTEX2015)

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Semiconductor neutron detectors are attracting increasing interest in many application fields, due to the shortage and high cost of 3 He gas which represented for decades the most important solution to neutron detection. The most interesting devices consist of silicon sensors featuring high aspect-ratio cavities filled with neutron converter materials (typically based on 10 B or 6 Li). Very good results have so far been obtained by different research groups in Europe, but most of all in the USA, with efficiency values up to 50% using only a single detector layer. In this paper, the state of the art in semiconductor neutron detectors will be reviewed, with emphasis on silicon based devices. Moreover, recent results from the R&D activity carried out in the framework of the INFN HYDE (HYbrid DEtector for neutrons) Project will be reported, covering design and technological aspects, as well as simulation results relevant to a new pixel sensor structure, aimed at high detection efficiency while minimizing the process complexity.

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Designs for thin-film-coated semiconductor thermal neutron detectors

Cited by 25 publications

References 8 publications

Superconducting Strips: A Concept in Thermal Neutron Detection

Superconducting Strips: A Concept in Thermal Neutron Detection

Neutron detection with a GEM

Semiconductor neutron detectors

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