Accession Number:

ADA516418

Title:

Gadolinium Oxide / Silicon Thin Film Heterojunction Solid-State Neutron Detector

Descriptive Note:

Master's Thesis

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT

Personal Author(s):

• Young, Christopher M.

Report Date:

2010-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

171.0

Abstract:

The internal conversion electron emission from the de-excitation of the Gd-158m nucleus was explored as a means for neutron detection. Thin film gadolinium oxide Gd2O3 and p-type silicon heterojunction diodes were produced using a supercritical water deposition process. Pulse height spectroscopy was conducted on the novel diodes while they were subjected to a moderated plutonium-beryllium PuBe source flux of 104 thermal neutronscm2s. Coincident gamma spectroscopy was employed to verify the 1107.6 keV photon emissions from the diode indicative of successful neutron capture by Gd-157 and the subsequent de-excitation of the Gd-158m nucleus. Neutron capture in the diodes could not be confirmed experimentally. The diodes were found to be sensitive to gamma rays between 10 and 20 keV.

Descriptors:

• *ELECTRON EMISSION
• *INTERNAL CONVERSION
• *GADOLINIUM OXIDE
• THIN FILMS
• SENSITIVITY
• NEUTRON CAPTURE
• GAMMA RAYS
• DIODES
• P TYPE SEMICONDUCTORS
• SPECTROSCOPY
• DETECTORS
• SOLID STATE ELECTRONICS

Subject Categories:

• Inorganic Chemistry
• Miscellaneous Detection and Detectors
• Nuclear Physics and Elementary Particle Physics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE