Handheld dual thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638809-B2
Application number	US-201414453768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Oct 23, 2012
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, including: a first detection medium including a lithium chalcopyrite crystal operable for detecting neutrons; a gamma ray shielding material disposed adjacent to the first detection medium; a second detection medium including one of a doped metal halide, an elpasolite, and a high Z semiconductor scintillator crystal operable for detecting gamma rays; a neutron shielding material disposed adjacent to the second detection medium; and a photodetector coupled to the second detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays; wherein the first detection medium and the second detection medium do not overlap in an orthogonal plane to a radiation flux. Optionally, the first detection medium includes a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal. Optionally, the second detection medium includes a SrI 2 (Eu) scintillation crystal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, comprising:
a first solid state detection medium comprising a lithium chalcopyrite single crystal material operable for detecting neutrons;
a gamma ray shielding material disposed adjacent to the first detection medium;
a second solid state detection medium comprising one of a doped metal halide, an elpasolite, and a high Z semiconductor scintillator crystal operable for detecting gamma rays;
a neutron shielding material disposed adjacent to the second detection medium;
a photodetector coupled to the second detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays;
wherein the first detection medium and the second detection medium and the associated shielding materials are disposed in a side-by-side configuration and do not overlap in an orthogonal plane to a radiation flux emanating from the radiation source; and
a mobile device disposed adjacent and coupled to the first detection medium and the second detection medium.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first detection medium comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 single crystal material.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second detection medium comprises a SrI 2 (Eu) scintillation crystal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector comprises one of a silicon avalanche photodiode and a silicon photomultiplier.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gamma ray shielding material comprises tungsten.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the neutron shielding material comprises lithium.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a microprocessor.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data collection and processing device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first detection medium comprises a I-III-VI 2 compound formed by the process of:
melting a Group III element;
adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and
adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating;
wherein the Group I element comprises lithium.

10. A method for providing a combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, comprising:
providing a first solid state detection medium comprising a lithium chalcopyrite single crystal material operable for detecting neutrons;
disposing a gamma ray shielding material adjacent to the first detection medium;
providing a second solid state detection medium comprising one of a doped metal halide, an elpasolite, and a high Z semiconductor scintillator crystal operable for detecting gamma rays;
disposing a neutron shielding material adjacent to the second detection medium;
providing a photodetector coupled to the second detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays;
wherein the first detection medium and the second detection medium and the associated shielding materials are disposed in a side-by-side configuration and do not overlap in an orthogonal plane to a radiation flux emanating from the radiation source; and
providing a mobile device disposed adjacent and coupled to the first detection medium and the second detection medium.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first detection medium comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 single crystal material.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second detection medium comprises a SrI 2 (Eu) scintillation crystal.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photodetector comprises one of a silicon avalanche photodiode and a silicon photomultiplier.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gamma ray shielding material comprises tungsten.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the neutron shielding material comprises lithium.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing a microprocessor.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing a data collection and processing device.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first detection medium comprises a I-III-VI 2 compound formed by the process of:
melting a Group III element;
adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and
adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating;

wherein the Group I element comprises lithium.

Assignees

• Stowe Ashley C
• Burger Arnold
• Bhattacharya Pijush
• Tupitsyn Yevgeniy
• Cons Nuclear Security Llc
• Fisk Univ

Inventors

• Stowe Ashley C
• Burger Arnold
• Bhattacharya Pijush
• Tupitsyn Yevgeniy

Classifications

• G01T1/208

  Circuits specially adapted for scintillation detectors, e.g. for the photo-multiplier section · CPC title

• G01T1/2023 Primary

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• G01T3/06 Primary

  with scintillation detectors · CPC title

• G01T1/202

  the detector being a crystal · CPC title