Miniaturized neutron detector and counting system

J. W. Walker, Z. W. Bell, W. C. Allen, J. M. Branning, M. J. Paulus, D. E. Smith

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This paper describes the design, construction, testing, and operation of hand-held thermal neutron detecting system (the 'B-10'). The neutron-sensitive element in the device is a Hamamatsu type 3590-04 silicon PIN photodiode coated with a thin (≈5 micrometer) coating of elemental 10B. Neutrons absorbed in the coating cause fissions from which one of the resulting charged-particles enter the diode where the particle's kinetic energy is converted into a charge pulse. Charge pulses are converted to voltage pulses and are counted by digital circuitry. The B-10 includes an on-board microcontroller, memory, RS-232 interface, and clock/calendar chip and can be set to operate in one of three modes: Integrating counter, multi-channel scaler, and single-event recorder. Data stored in the B-10 is available to the user through the RS-232 interface and software is provided to either display the data on a computer's screen or to write the data directly to a text file.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference
PublisherIEEE
Pages1036-1039
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)0780350227
StatePublished - 1999
EventProceedings of the 1998 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record - Toronto, Que, Can
Duration: Nov 8 1998Nov 14 1998

Publication series

NameIEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference
Volume2

Conference

ConferenceProceedings of the 1998 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record
CityToronto, Que, Can
Period11/8/9811/14/98

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