Detection of thermal neutrons using gadolinium-oxide-based nanocrystals

Antonio C. Rivera; Natasha N. Glazener; Nathaniel C. Cook; Brian A. Akins; John B. Plumley; Nathan J. Withers; Kenneth Carpenter; Gennady A. Smolyakov; Robert D. Busch; Marek Osiński

doi:10.1117/12.883646

3 June 2011 Detection of thermal neutrons using gadolinium-oxide-based nanocrystals

Antonio C. Rivera, Natasha N. Glazener, Nathaniel C. Cook, Brian A. Akins, John B. Plumley, Nathan J. Withers, Kenneth Carpenter, Gennady A. Smolyakov, Robert D. Busch, Marek Osiński

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8018, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XII; 80180F (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.883646
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2011, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

The concept of detection of thermal neutrons using gadolinium oxide nanocrystals is explored. Gadolinium is an element with by far the highest thermal neutron capture cross section among all stable isotopes. Colloidal synthesis of Gd₂O₃ nanocrystals, Gd₂O₃ nanocrystals doped with Ce, Gd₂O₃ nanocrystals doped with Eu, and Gd₂O₃ nanocrystals co-doped with Ce and Eu is reported. The nanocrystals were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering analysis, and steady-state UV-VIS optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Neutron detection has been modeled with MCNPX and confirmed in experiments with Gd-containing nanocrystalline samples irradiated with ²⁵²Cf neutron source.

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Antonio C. Rivera, Natasha N. Glazener, Nathaniel C. Cook, Brian A. Akins, John B. Plumley, Nathan J. Withers, Kenneth Carpenter, Gennady A. Smolyakov, Robert D. Busch, and Marek Osiński "Detection of thermal neutrons using gadolinium-oxide-based nanocrystals", Proc. SPIE 8018, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XII, 80180F (3 June 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.883646

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