Development of compact high efficiency microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors

作者：McGregor D S^*; Bellinger S L; Fronk R G; Henson L; Huddleston D; Ochs T; Shultis J K; Sobering T J; Taylor R D

来源：Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2015, 116: 32-37.

DOI：10.1016/j.radphyschem.2015.05.025

• Semiconductor neutron detectors
• Microstructured detectors
• MSND

Semiconductor diode detectors coated with neutron reactive materials are generally fashioned as planar diodes coated with B-10, (LiF)-Li-6, or Gd. Planar detectors coated with B-10 or (LiF)-Li-6 are limited to less than 5% intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency. Detectors coated with Gd can achieve higher efficiencies, but the low-energy signatures are problematic in the presence of background radiations. Microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors (MSNDs) can now achieve a tenfold increase in neutron detection efficiency over the planar diode designs. These semiconductor neutron detectors are fashioned with a matrix of microstructured patterns etched deeply into the semiconductor substrate and, subsequently, backfilled with neutron reactive materials. Intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiencies exceeding 35% have been achieved with devices no thicker than 1 mm while operating on less than 5 V, now allowing for instrumentation to be realized with similar performance as He-3 gas-filled detectors.

• 出版日期2015-11