Segmented scintillation antineutrino detector
| DWPI Title: Segmented scintillation antineutrino detector for detecting e.g. tritium, has photomultiplier tube for generating signal responsive to detecting photon, where signal is indicative of antineutrino interacting with proton in scintillator |
| Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to incorporating a wavelength-shifting material in a scintillator to facilitate absorption of a first electromagnetic particle (e.g., a first photon) having a first wavelength and subsequent generation and emission of a second electromagnetic particle (e.g., a second photon) having a second wavelength. The second electromagnetic particle can be emitted isotropically, with a high probability that the direction of emission of the second electromagnetic particle is disparate to the direction of travel of the first electromagnetic particle (and according angle of incidence). Isotropic emission of the second electromagnetic particle enables the second electromagnetic particle to be retained in the scintillator owing to internal reflection. Accordingly, longer length scintillators can be constructed, and accordingly, the scintillator array has a greater area (and volume) over which to detect electromagnetic particles (e.g., antineutrinos) being emitted from a nuclear reaction. |
| Use: Segmented scintillation antineutrino detector for detecting a particle e.g. alpha particle and tritium, in a wavelength-shifting material. |
| Advantage: The detector allows internal reflection of electromagnetic particle to enable a longer scintillator to be constructed, so that length of the scintillator is only limited by attenuation length of the electromagnetic particle. The scintillator enhances ability to detect antineutrinos. The detector maximizes detection of antineutrinos as function of increased length of respective scintillators. The detector provides a wavelength-shifting scintillator to facilitate increase in detection of antineutrinos as length of the scintillator. |
| Novelty: The detector has a scintillator comprising a first end, a second end, and an external surface that extends between the first end and the second end. A screen is positioned adjacent the external surface, and comprises a lithium doped scintillator layer attached to the screen and surrounds the scintillator along length. A photomultiplier tube is positioned adjacent the first end of the scintillator, and generates a signal responsive to detecting photon, where the signal is indicative of antineutrino interacting with the proton in the scintillator. |
| Filed: 11/25/2014 |
| Application Number: US14553792A |
| Tech ID: SD 13029.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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