Thermal neutron detectors based on gadolinium-containing lanthanide-halide nanoscintillators

John B. Plumley; Nathan J. Withers; Antonio C. Rivera; Brian A. Akins; José M. Vargas; Kenneth Carpenter; Gennady A. Smolyakov; Robert D. Busch; Marek Osiński

doi:10.1117/12.854903

5 May 2010 Thermal neutron detectors based on gadolinium-containing lanthanide-halide nanoscintillators

John B. Plumley, Nathan J. Withers, Antonio C. Rivera, Brian A. Akins, José M. Vargas, Kenneth Carpenter, Gennady A. Smolyakov, Robert D. Busch, Marek Osiński

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7665, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XI; 76651F (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.854903
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2010, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

A novel concept for detection of thermal neutrons based on lanthanide halide nanocrystals containing gadolinium, an element with by far the highest thermal neutron capture cross section among all stable isotopes, is presented. Colloidal synthesis of GdF₃ nanocrystals, GdF₃ nanocrystals doped with Ce, and LaF₃ nanocrystals doped with Gd is reported. The nanocrystals were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis, and steady state UV-VIS optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Neutron detection has been confirmed in experiments with Gd-containing nanocrystalline material irradiated with ²⁵²Cf neutron source.

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John B. Plumley, Nathan J. Withers, Antonio C. Rivera, Brian A. Akins, José M. Vargas, Kenneth Carpenter, Gennady A. Smolyakov, Robert D. Busch, and Marek Osiński "Thermal neutron detectors based on gadolinium-containing lanthanide-halide nanoscintillators", Proc. SPIE 7665, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XI, 76651F (5 May 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.854903

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