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| Science & Technology |
| First stable semiconductor neutron detector |
| 2020-01-17 |
| [Physics dot org] A prototype of a working, pocket-sized neutron detector made with a high lithium-containing material. Credit: Northwestern University/Argonne National Laboratory Homeland Security might soon have a new tool to add to its arsenal. Researchers at Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new material that opens doors for a new class of neutron detectors. With the ability to sense smuggled nuclear materials, highly efficient neutron detectors are critical for national security. Currently, there are two classes of detectors which either use helium gas or flashes of light. These detectors are very large—sometimes the size of a wall. Northwestern and Argonne's material introduces a third class: a semiconductor that can absorb neutrons and generate electrical signals that can be easily measured. The semiconductor-based detector is also highly efficient and stable. It can be used both in small, portable devices for field inspections and very large detectors that use arrays of crystals. The study will be published in the Jan. 16 issue of the journal Nature. "People have imagined semiconductor neutron detectors for a long time," said Northwestern's Mercouri Kanatzidis, who led the research. "The idea was there, but no one had the right material to do it." Kanatzidis is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. He has a joint appointment with Argonne. New material (lithium-indium-phosphorous-selenium) is lithium-rich, making the semiconductor neutron detector possible. Credit: Northwestern University/Argonne National Laboratory |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #3 I suppose if I actually were looking for neutrons, I'd be more excited..... |
| Posted by: Mercutio 2020-01-17 09:34 |
| #2 Neutrons, the SBD of radiation. |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2020-01-17 00:52 |
| #1 For when you don't know a Neutron Bomb has exploded. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2020-01-17 00:28 |