Characteristics of the stacked microstructured solid state neutron detector

S. L. Bellinger; R. G. Fronk; W. J. McNeil; J. K. Shultis; T. J. Sobering; D. S. McGregor

doi:10.1117/12.863603

20 September 2010 Characteristics of the stacked microstructured solid state neutron detector

S. L. Bellinger, R. G. Fronk, W. J. McNeil, J. K. Shultis, T. J. Sobering, D. S. McGregor

Proceedings Volume 7805, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XII; 78050N (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.863603
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Silicon diodes with large aspect ratio perforated microstructures backfilled with ⁶LiF show a dramatic increase in neutron detection efficiency beyond that of conventional thin-film coated planar devices. Described in this work are advancements in the technology with increased microstructure depths and detector stacking methods that work to increase thermal-neutron detection efficiency. Models for ion energy deposition and intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency for the straight trench design are described and results presented. A dual stacked device was fabricated by coupling two detectors back-to-back, along with counting electronics, into a single detector. Experimentally verified results and modeled predictions are compared. The stacked device delivered 37% intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency, lower than the predicted value of 47%. It was determined that this lower observed efficiency is due to detector misalignment in the stacked structure and ballistic deficit from slow charge collection from the deep trench structures. The intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency depends strongly upon the geometry, size, and depth of the perforated microstructures. This work is part of on-going research to develop solid-state semiconductor neutron detectors with high detection efficiencies.

Citation Download Citation

S. L. Bellinger, R. G. Fronk, W. J. McNeil, J. K. Shultis, T. J. Sobering, and D. S. McGregor "Characteristics of the stacked microstructured solid state neutron detector", Proc. SPIE 7805, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XII, 78050N (20 September 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.863603

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