MEMS nanotube based thermal neutron detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11994635-B2
Application number	US-202117233441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2020
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

A MEMS nanotube based radiation sensor that is low cost, low power, compact, reliable and is applicable across many fields and a method for fabricating such a sensor are described. Each sensor may be connected to an array of similar but distinct sensors that leverage different materials and nanotube technology to detect radiation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detector system, comprising:
a first sensor that is disposable, the first sensor comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
a nanotube layer deposited on the first electrode and the second electrode, the nanotube layer comprising a first nanotube type configured to provide an electrical pathway between the first electrode, and a second nanotube type configured to detect a first type of radiation; and

a second sensor configured to detect a second type of radiation that is different from the first type of radiation, wherein the second sensor is disposable.

2. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein the first nanotube type comprises carbon nanotube and the second nanotube type comprises enriched boron nitride nanotube.

3. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein the second nanotube type is higher in concentration than the first nanotube type.

4. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein the second nanotube type is configured to detect thermal neutron radiation.

5. The detector system of claim 1 , further comprising a housing configured to protect the sensor from light.

6. A radiation detector system, comprising:
a first sensor configured to detect a first type of radiation, the first sensor comprising
a first electrode,
a second electrode, and
a nanotube layer deposited on the first electrode and the second electrode,
wherein the first sensor is disposable;

a processing unit communicatively coupled to the first sensor, the processing unit configured to receive data from the sensor and determine radiation information based on the received data; and
a second sensor configured to detect a second type of radiation that is different from the first type of radiation, wherein the second sensor is disposable.

7. The radiation detector system of claim 6 , wherein the nanotube layer comprises a first nanotube type configured to provide an electrical pathway between the first electrode, and a second nanotube type configured to detect the first type of radiation.

8. The radiation detector system of claim 7 , wherein the first nanotube type comprises carbon nanotube and the second nanotube type comprises enriched boron nitride nanotube.

9. The radiation detector system of claim 7 , wherein the second nanotube type is higher in concentration than the first nanotube type.

10. The radiation detector system of claim 6 , wherein the first type of radiation comprises thermal neutron radiation.

11. The radiation detector system of claim 6 , further comprising a housing configured to protect the first sensor from light.

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Gov Sec Navy

Inventors

• Hameed Zishan
• Gats John
• Han Jin-Woo
• Meyyappan Meyya

Classifications

• G01T3/08 Primary

  with semiconductor detectors · CPC title

• B81B7/0058

  for protecting against damages due to external chemical or mechanical influences, e.g. shocks or vibrations · CPC title

• B81B2201/031

  Thermal actuators · CPC title

• B81B2203/04

  Electrodes · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title