A semiconductor-based neutron detection system for planetary exploration

Haiku

Polyethylene / moderates the neutron flux / what can we see then?

Abstract

We explore the use of microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors (MSNDs) to map the ratio between thermal neutrons and higher energy neutrons. The system consists of alternating layers of modular neutro detectors (MNDs), each comprising arrays of twenty-four MSNDs, and high-densit polyethylene moderators (HDPE) with gadolinium shielding to filter between therma neutrons and higher energy neutrons. We experimentally measured the performance of thre different configurations and demonstrated that the sensor system prototypes detec and differentiate thermal and epithermal neutrons. We discuss future planetar exploration applications of this compact, semiconductor-based low-energy neutro detection system.

Citation

Soto, A., Fronk, R. G., Neal, K., Ehresmann, B., Bellinger, S. L., Shoffner, M., and McGregor, D. S. (2020). A semiconductor-based neutron detection system for planetary exploration. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 966:163852, 10.1016/j.nima.2020.163852.

@article{Soto:2020ab,
    author = {Soto, Alejandro and Fronk, Ryan G. and Neal, Kerry and Ehresmann, Bent and Bellinger, Steven L. and Shoffner, Michael and McGregor, Douglas S.},
    date-added = {2023-11-22 15:36:44 -0700},
    date-modified = {2023-11-22 15:36:44 -0700},
    issn = {0168-9002},
    journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},
    month = {Jun},
    pages = {163852},
    publisher = {Elsevier BV},
    title = {A semiconductor-based neutron detection system for planetary exploration},
    volume = {966},
    year = {2020},