Rechargeable solid state neutron detector and visible radiation indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9658350-B2
Application number	US-201514729715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A radiation detection device, including: a support structure; and a chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure; wherein, when the chalcopyrite crystal is exposed to radiation, a visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal changes from an initial color to a modified color. The visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal is changed back from the modified color to the initial color by annealing the chalcopyrite crystal at an elevated temperature below a melting point of the chalcopyrite crystal over time. The chalcopyrite crystal is optionally a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal. The radiation is comprised of neutrons that decrease the 6 Li concentration of the chalcopyrite crystal via a 6 Li(n,α) reaction. The initial color is yellow and the modified color is one of orange and red. The annealing temperature is between about 450 degrees C. and about 650 degrees C. and the annealing time is between about 12 hrs and about 36 hrs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passive radiation detection device, comprising:
a support structure; and
a chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure;
wherein, when the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure is subsequently exposed to radiation, a visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure changes from an initial color to a modified color.

2. The radiation detection device of claim 1 , wherein the visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal is changed back from the modified color to the initial color by annealing the chalcopyrite crystal at an elevated temperature below the melting point of the chalcopyrite crystal over time.

3. The radiation detection device of claim 2 , wherein the annealing temperature is between about 450 degrees C. and about 650 degrees C. and the annealing time is between about 12 hrs and about 36 hrs.

4. The radiation detection device of claim 1 , wherein the chalcopyrite crystal comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal.

5. The radiation detection device of claim 4 , wherein neutrons in the radiation decrease the 6 Li concentration of the chalcopyrite crystal via a 6 Li(n,α) reaction.

6. The radiation detection device of claim 4 , wherein the initial color is yellow and the modified color is one of orange and red.

7. A passive radiation detection method, comprising:
providing a support structure; and
coupling a chalcopyrite crystal to the support structure;
wherein, when the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure is subsequently exposed to radiation, a visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure changes from an initial color to a modified color.

8. The radiation detection method of claim 7 , wherein the visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal is configured to be changed back from the modified color to the initial color by annealing the chalcopyrite crystal at an elevated temperature below the melting point of the chalcopyrite crystal over time.

9. The radiation detection method of claim 8 , wherein the annealing temperature is between about 450 degrees C. and about 650 degrees C. and the annealing time is between about 12 hrs and about 36 hrs.

10. The radiation detection method of claim 7 , wherein the chalcopyrite crystal comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal.

11. The radiation detection method of claim 10 wherein neutrons in the radiation decrease the 6 Li concentration of the chalcopyrite crystal via a 6 Li(n,α) reaction.

12. The radiation detection method of claim 10 , wherein the initial color is yellow and the modified color is one of orange and red.

13. A method for using a passive radiation detection device, comprising:
providing a support structure;
providing a chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure;
subsequently exposing the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure to radiation such that a visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure changes from an initial color to a modified color; and
changing the visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal back from the modified color to the initial color by annealing the chalcopyrite crystal at an elevated temperature below a melting point of the chalcopyrite crystal over time.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the chalcopyrite crystal comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein neutrons in the radiation decrease the 6 Li concentration of the chalcopyrite crystal via a 6 Li(n,α) reaction.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the initial color is yellow and the modified color is one of orange and red.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the annealing temperature is between about 450 degrees C. and about 650 degrees C. and the annealing time is between about 12 hrs and about 36 hrs.

18. A method for recharging a passive radiation detection device comprising a chalcopyrite crystal coupled to a support structure that has subsequently been exposed to radiation such that a visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal coupled to the support structure has changed from an initial color to a modified color, the method comprising:
changing the visible spectrum of the chalcopyrite crystal back from the modified color to the initial color by annealing the chalcopyrite crystal at an elevated temperature below a melting point of the chalcopyrite crystal over time.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the chalcopyrite crystal comprises a 6 LiInSe 2 crystal.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein neutrons in the radiation decrease the 6 Li concentration of the chalcopyrite crystal via a 6 Li(n,α) reaction.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the initial color is yellow and the modified color is one of orange and red.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the annealing temperature is between about 450 degrees C. and about 650 degrees C. and the annealing time is between about 12 hrs and about 36 hrs.

Assignees

• Stowe Ashley C
• Wiggins Brenden
• Burger Arnold
• Cons Nuclear Security Llc
• Fisk Univ

Inventors

• Stowe Ashley C
• Wiggins Brenden
• Burger Arnold

Classifications

• H10P72/0431

  Apparatus for thermal treatment · CPC title

• C30B11/12

  Vaporous components, e.g. vapour-liquid-solid-growth · CPC title

• C30B33/02 Primary

  Heat treatment (C30B33/04, C30B33/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• C30B29/46

  Sulfur-, selenium- or tellurium-containing compounds · CPC title

• G01T3/00 Primary

  Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence) · CPC title