US 12,147,002 B2
Fast neutron detector
Ian Shawn Horvath, Phoenix, AZ (US); Yiyang Li, Tempe, AZ (US); Charles Edwin Runyan, Tempe, AZ (US); and Clinton Hughes, Tempe, AZ (US)
Assigned to Fusion Energy Solutions, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US)
Filed by Fusion Energy Solutions, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/146,292.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/970,392, filed on Feb. 5, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/970,061, filed on Feb. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/963,365, filed on Jan. 20, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/960,492, filed on Jan. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/960,481, filed on Jan. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/959,633, filed on Jan. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0016402 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G01T 3/08 (2006.01); H01L 31/0735 (2012.01)
CPC G01T 3/08 (2013.01) [H01L 31/0735 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A neutron detector comprising a case with an opening, wherein a receiving axis extends out from the opening, and a first photovoltaic sheet comprising electrodes, wherein one or more photovoltaic sheets including the first photovoltaic sheet are stacked coaxially along the receiving axis perpendicular to the receiving axis and wherein the electrodes connect to supporting electronics,
wherein the neutron detector has a live state and a dead state, and
wherein, when the neutron detector is in the live state, one or more of the first photovoltaic sheet has a non-zero voltage drop across the first photovoltaic sheet and, when the neutron detector is in the dead state, the first photovoltaic sheet has a voltage drop across the first photovoltaic sheet that is less than the voltage drop across the first photovoltaic sheet when the neutron detector is in the live state, and wherein the supporting electronics are adapted to measure a voltage drop across the first photovoltaic sheet and changes in the voltage drop caused by a neutron undergoing a nuclear reaction within the first photovoltaic sheet.