Lanthanide based solid state nano-composite neutron detector.

Etter terror angrepet den 11 september 2001, har myndighetene i USA begynt å bruke nøytron detektorer i grensekontroller, for å sikre seg mot smugling av atom-reaktivt materiale. Dette har skapt et økt marked for nøytron detektorer. Helium 3 er det mest kritiske isotop brukt i instrumentasjonen for nøytron-deteksjon, He-3 er et biprodukt fra produksjon av atom våpen. Ettersom produksjonen av atom våpen har gått ned, har det oppstått en mangel på Helium 3 i markedet. På grunn av økt interesse for bruk av nøytroner i partikkelterapi, og for forskning (som European Spallation Source i Sverige), har også markedet for alternative nøytron detektorer økt. EnSols LaNNDe prosjekt, har som intensjon å erstatte He-3 baserte nøytrondetektorer, med en mer kostnadseffektiv Tynn-film nøytron-deteksjon. Nanopartikler av nøytron absorberende material inkorporeres i en halvleder matrise, som vil utgjøre en kompositt som har både nøytronsensitive og elektriske egenskaper, dette gjør at man kan avlese nøytron fluks direkte. Prosjektet er nå avsluttet. Det har vært stort sett vellykket, men på grunn av Covid-19-restriksjoner har vi ikke klart å gjennomføre den endelige fulle karateriseringen og testingen av detektorsystemet som opprinnelig planlagt.

The project has enabled EnSol to formulate and construct a thin film /nanoparticle based neutron detector. Due to the discrete nature in which this has been achieved within the project development, it enables the basis of the detector to be adapted to be a "generic" type technology which has significant potential for other application areas such as chemical detection. Expertise developed in signal processing electronics, battery technology & management, & IoT communications will also be a great asset for future technological developments.

Neutron detection and neutron imagine is experiencing a upsurgence in interest, with applications in cancer treatment, medical and pharmacological research, environmental monitoring, experimental physics and homeland security. Traditional Helium-3 based detectors used in this field are no longer viable due to demand for this finite resource now greatly outstripping the supply. The very limited materials that will strongly interact with neutron radiation however, makes finding an alternative detection method highly challenging.This opens up an ideal commercial opportunity for the application of advances in nanotechnology. This industrial R&D project will combine the latest developments in nanocomposite material and device fabrication pioneered at EnSol AS with the cutting edge Application Specific Integrated Circuit signal processing technology developed by IDEAS AS, to produce a state of the art commercially viable solid state neutron detector technology. The detector will be based on a cost effective lanthanide nanocomposite material, having a neutron absorption cross section greatly exceeding that of the current favored Helium-3 alternative - (enriched) Boron-10. The key scientific challenge in this project will be in the optimisation of the neutron capture to signal output efficiency of the detector. This will rely heavily on the ability to fine tune the nanocomposite material characteristics and match them to the signal processing. Analytical facilities at the University of Bergen will be used in this optimisation process and be combined with results from neutron testing and characterisation experiments at various neutron source facilities. Commercialisation will be realised through an initial period of high-value customised detectors sale, providing the infrastructure for further production facilities and a more mass market generic detector.