Detection of fast neutrons using detectors based on semi-insulating GaAs

Затько, Б.; Sedlačková, Katarína; Dubecký, F.; Boháček, P.; Sekacova, M.; Nečas, Vladimı́r

doi:10.1088/1748-0221/6/12/c12047

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The typical forward and reverse I −V characteristics of the detector with HDPE are shown in figure 1. The maximum operating voltage in the reverse direction was about 280 V, which means a noticeable increase in comparison with 60 V of our previous detectors [6]. This capability was caused by a different contact arrangement, when the detector surface was covered by small interconnected pixels in comparison with the previous single square Schottky contact.…”

Section: Detector Fabrication and Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…The HDPE conversion layer acts as a recoil proton source and its thickness is an important parameter to be optimized. We used HDPE layers of various thicknesses in the range from 100 to 2000 µm to carry out precise comparison of simulation predictions obtained in our previous work [6] with experimental measurements. The HDPE conversion layer thickness with the highest conversion efficiency is determined by two phenomena.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The calculation neglected the edge effects, nuclear reactions and assumed a 100% detection probability of the impinging particle upon the detector. The maximum relative detection efficiency of fast neutrons was determined to be 0.135% [6].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this paper, we have continued in our previous research [6] in optimizing the SI GaAs detectors for fast neutron detection. We have investigated the optimal thickness of the HDPE conversion layer with respect to the detection efficiency for fast neutrons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Semi-insulating GaAs detectors optimized for fast neutron detection

et al. 2013

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Semi-insulating (SI) GaAs detectors with a HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene) conversion layer were optimized for detection of fast neutrons (from 0.5 MeV to 12 MeV). Based on previous simulations of neutron transport in HDPE and SI GaAs carried out by the Monte Carlo radiation transport computer code MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended, version 2.5.0) we used a SI GaAs wafer with a larger thickness of 270 µm. The area of a single AuZn Schottky contact was enlarged from 6.25 mm 2 to 7.36 mm 2 . Thanks to the pixel structure of the new metallization the breakdown voltage increased from 60 V to 280 V as deduced from the measured I −V characteristics. Various thicknesses of HDPE layers in the range from 100 µm to 2000 µm were used with SI GaAs detectors for neutron conversion. The measured relative detection efficiency for fast neutrons using SI GaAs detectors with various HDPE thicknesses varied from 0.07 to 0.12% at lower applied voltages, with a maximum for a 500 µm thick conversion layer.

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Section: Detector Fabrication and Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Semi-insulating GaAs detectors optimized for fast neutron detection

et al. 2013

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“…Recent processing methods for silicon and gallium arsenide allow realization of moderate-to high-efficiency neutron detectors. 1 Conversion layers for fast neutrons are attached to the detector in contact planar geometry and are usually based on polyethylene (PE) 2,3,4 and high density polyethylene (HDPE), 5,6,7 but also on fast plastic scintillator. 8 We have optimized our bulk semi-insulating (SI) GaAs detectors for fast-neutron detection by a multi-pixel structure of a Schottky contact.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Semi-insulating GaAs detectors with HDPE layer for detection of fast neutrons from D–T nuclear reaction

Šagátová

Затько

Sedlačková

et al. 2016

Int. J. Mod. Phys. Conf. Ser.

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Bulk semi-insulating (SI) GaAs detectors optimized for fast-neutron detection were examined using mono-energetic neutrons. The detectors have an active area of 7.36 mm 2 defined by a multipixel structure of a AuZn Schottky contact allowing a relatively high breakdown voltage (300 V) sufficient for full depletion of the detector structure. The Schottky contact is covered by a HDPE (high density polyethylene) conversion layer, where neutrons transfer their kinetic energy to hydrogen atoms through elastic nuclear collisions. The detectors were exposed to mono-energetic neutrons generated by a deuterium (D)-tritium (T) nuclear reaction at a Van A. Sagatova et al. 1660233-2Neutrons reached a kinetic energy of 16.8 MeV when deuterons were accelerated by 1 MV potential. The influence of the HDPE layer thickness on the detection efficiency of the fast neutrons was studied. The thickness of the conversion layer varied from 50 μm to 1300 μm. The increase of the HDPE layer thickness led to a higher detection efficiency due to higher conversion efficiency of the HDPE layer. The effect of the active detector thickness modified by the detector reverse bias voltage on the detection efficiency was also evaluated. By increasing the detector reverse voltage, the detector active volume expands to the depth and also to the sides, slightly increasing the neutron detection efficiency.

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