Dosimeter for the detection of high-energy neutron radiation
View Patent ↗A dosimeter for detecting high-energy neutron radiation having a neutron converter and a detection element is proposed which is characterized by the neutron converter comprising metal atoms which convert the energy of the neutrons into protons, alpha particles and other charged nuclei in a suitable energy range so that they are detectable.
1. A dosimeter comprising:
(a) a neutron converter comprising
metal atoms which convert high-energy neutrons to be detected into protons, alpha particles and charged particles in a suitable energy range so that they are detectable, wherein said metal atoms of the neutron converter are stable in the sense of radioactivity;
a hydrogenous material which converts fast neutrons to be detected into protons;
a material suitable to cause a (n, α) reaction and/or a (n, p) reaction to convert low-energy neutrons to be detected into protons and/or alpha particles; and
(b) a detection element for detecting and registering said protons, alpha particles and charged particles as produced by said three converting processes;
wherein the dosimeter is operative for detecting high-energy, fast and low-energy neutrons.
2. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the metal atoms of the neutron converter ( 3 ) have an atomic number of Z>15.
3. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter comprises titanium, chrome, vanadium, iron, copper, wolfram and/or lead atoms.
4. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter contains metal atoms with different atomic numbers.
5. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter comprises metal atoms of alloys.
6. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter comprises at least two layers with metal atoms of different atomic numbers.
7. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter comprises layers with metal atoms where essentially only metal atoms with a specific atomic number are included in each layer.
8. Dosimeter from claim 7 , wherein the layers of the neutron converter, viewed from the side of the dosimeter, facing the neutron radiation, contain metal atoms with descending atomic numbers.
9. Dosimeter from claim 7 , wherein at least one of the layers with metal atoms is configured as metal foil, preferably as rolled metal foil, or polymer foil sputtered with metal.
10. Dosimeter from claim 7 , wherein a sequence of the layers with metal atoms of different atomic numbers is matched to the energy spectrum of the neutron radiation.
11. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter, viewed from the side of the dosimeter facing the neutron radiation, has 6 Li atoms and/or 10 B atoms and/or 14 N atoms in front of the detection element—preferably arranged in a thin layer.
12. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein at least two dosimeter elements with different metal atoms for measuring the energy and/or angular distribution can be housed in a casing.
13. Dosimeter from claim 11 , wherein the neutron converter has a hydrogenous polymer between the metal atoms and the 6 Li atoms and/or 10 B atoms and/or 14 N atoms.
14. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter comprises layers where the first layer facing the neutron radiation contains metal atoms, the second layer the hydrogenous polymer and the third layer 6 Li and/or 10 B and/or 14 N atoms.
15. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the neutron converter has fields (N 1 , N 2 , N 3 ) with different structures arranged spatially next to each other.
16. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein a number of dosimeter elements can be arranged symmetrically on the surface of a cone in order to carry out an area monitoring and a directional distribution measurement.
17. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein a number of dosimeter elements can be arranged on a phantom in order to carry out a directional measurement.
18. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the detection element comprises at least one passive element and/or at least one active element.
19. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the passive element comprises organic high-molecular polymer, preferably polycarbonate or cellulose nitrate (preferably C39 or macroful), and/or an inorganic crystal and/or mineral, preferably a thermoluminescent crystal, in particular LiF, and/or inorganic glasses and/or an inorganic crystal.
20. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the active element has a semi-conductor, preferably silicon.
21. Dosimeter from one of the preceding claims, wherein provision is made for a photon dosimeter.
22. Dosimeter from olaim 4 claim 7 , wherein the converter layers and the detection element can be housed in a casing which has a front and back wall and side walls.
23. Dosimeter from claim 1 , wherein the side walls contain borium, and/or cadmium and/or nitrogen ( 14 N) and/or lithium atoms ( 6 Li).