Michael A Coplan, Age 867003 Meadow Ln, Bethesda, MD 20815

2009011, May 7, 2009

Jul 29, 2008

12/181711

Alan Keith Thompson - Riverdale MD, US
Charles W. Clark - Wheaton MD, US
Michael A. Coplan - Chevy Chase MD, US

G01T 1/00
G01J 1/58

2504731, 2504831

A method and apparatus for detecting slow neutrons by monitoring Lyman alpha radiation produced by the He(n,tp) nuclear reaction induced by neutrons incident on a gas cell containing He or a mixture of He and other atoms and/or molecules. Such a method and/or apparatus includes the use of, for example, liquid He and He mixtures as a scintillation counter for the sensitive detection of neutrons using Lyman alpha radiation produced by the He(n,tp) reaction. The radiation can be detected with high efficiency with an appropriate photo-detector, or alternatively, it can be converted to radiation at longer wavelength by absorption in scintillation materials, with the radiation channeled to a photodetector. Because of the simplicity of the system and the fact that the radiation production mechanisms can be measured and/or calculated independently, the method and/or apparatus also has the potential for service as a calculable absolute detector.

2012010, May 3, 2012

Oct 27, 2011

13/282571

CHARLES W. CLARK - WHEATON MD, US
PATRICK P. HUGHES - BOWIE MD, US
MICHAEL ALAN COPLAN - CHEVY CHASE MD, US
ALAN KEITH THOMPSON - RIVERDALE MD, US
ROBERT E. VEST - WASHINGTON DC, US

H01J 47/12

250375

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for use in highly sensitive and efficient neutron detection, that includes using trigger reactions to initiate far-ultraviolet (FUV) optical emissions. In some embodiments of the present invention, a method for the detection of slow neutrons includes absorption of a slow neutron with a high neutron capture-cross-section nucleus, decay of the compound nucleus into energetic particles, creation of excimers from the energetic particles reacting with a background gas to form excimers, radiative decay of excimers resulting in emission of FUV radiation, and detection of the FUV radiation using an optical detector.