Patent ID: 9568623
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: G01T

Claim:
1. A neutron detector cell comprising: an elongated detector tube having a first end and an opposing second end and including a peripheral wall defining an enclosed channel, a liquid scintillator disposed in the elongated channel, said liquid scintillator including an ionic liquid blended with a controlled optical attenuator and at least one of a scintillation enhancer and a moderator such that the liquid scintillator is configured to generate a light pulse at an interaction point in response to an incident neutron, and configured such that light transmitted along the elongated detector tube from said light pulse is attenuated by an amount that is inversely proportional to a distance traveled from the interaction point along the elongated detector tube; a first photo-detector optically coupled to the first end of said elongated detector tube, said first photo-detector configured to detect a first portion of said light pulse that is transmitted from said interaction point through said liquid scintillator to the first end, and to generate a first detection signal including a first light magnitude value indicating a first light amount of said first portion; and a second photo-detector optically coupled to the second end of said elongated detector tube, said second photo-detector configured to detect a second portion of said light pulse transmitted from said interaction point through said liquid scintillator to the second end, and to generate a second detection signal including a second light magnitude value indicating a second light amount of said second portion, whereby a longitudinal location of said light pulse along said elongated detector tube is determinable by a difference between said first and second light magnitude values.