Patent ID: 9507034
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: G01T,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: determining a neutron absorption efficiency per linear distance through a selected neutron scintillator material; determining a desired neutron absorption efficiency for a neutron detector; determining a neutron mean absorption distance in response to the neutron absorption efficiency and the desired neutron absorption efficiency; and providing a neutron scintillator comprising the selected neutron scintillator material, the neutron scintillator formed with a multiplicity of protruding parallel ribs on a first side (first ribs) and a second multiplicity of protruding parallel ribs on a second side (second ribs), wherein each of the first ribs and the second ribs comprises a protrusion height at least equal to the neutron mean absorption distance, wherein the neutron scintillator is at least locally planar, and wherein the first ribs are offset from the second ribs such that a particle passing through the neutron scintillator perpendicular to the neutron scintillator plane must either pass through at least one rib from the first ribs or at least one rib from the second ribs; and further providing a set of wavelength shifting fibers positioned between each adjacent pair of the first ribs and each adjacent pair of the second ribs, wherein each set of wavelength shifting fibers is in optical proximity to the adjacent pair of the ribs that set of the wavelength shifting fiber is positioned between, and wherein each set of wavelength shifting fibers comprises a sufficient number of fibers to optically cover the adjacent pair of the ribs to a height of at least the neutron mean absorption distance.