Patent Number: 046997512
Section: claims

1. A neutron dosimeter to determine the magnitude of dose or fluence of neutrons having energies from a few ev of 10.sup.7 ev with sufficient sensitivity to cover a range from less than 1 mrad to several megarads, which comprises: a solid target, said target containing at least a matrix material and a sputter material, said matrix material characterized by stably retaining said sputter material, said sputter material characterized by being sputtered from said target as a result of said neutrons as an indicator of said magnitude of said dose or fluence of said neutrons;  a collector for said sputter material sputtered from said target, the quantity of said sputter material at said collector being a measure of said magnitude of said dose or fluence;  wherein said matrix material is selected from a group consisting of polycrystalline metals, amorphous metals and silicon; and  wherein said sputter material is selected from a group consisting of noble gases, noble metals and alkaline halides.  a target, said target containing at least a matrix material and a sputter material, said matrix material characterized by stably retaining said sputter material, said sputter material characterized by being sputtered from said target as a result of said neutrons as an indication of said magnitude of said dose or fluence of said neutrons;  a collector for said sputter material sputtered from said target, the quantity of said sputter material at said collector being a measure of said magnitude of said dose or fluence;  at least one hydrogenous radiator material proximate said target, said radiator material producing recoil particles upon exposure to said neutrons, said recoil particles enhancing sputtering of said sputter material from said target;  an enclosure for said target and said radiator material;  wherein said matrix material is selected from a group consisting of polycrystalline metals, amorphous metals and silicon; and  wherein said sputter material is selected from a group consisting of noble gases, noble metals and alkaline halides.  a target, said target containing amorphous metal particles as a matrix and a noble gas entrapped in said amorphous metal particles;  a hydrocarbon radiator intimately mixed with said amorphous metal particles; and  a collector for noble gas sputtered from said amorphous metal particles as a result of said neutrons, the quantity of said collected noble gas being a measure of said magnitude of said dose or fluence; and  and enclosure surrounding said target; said radiator and said collector. 2. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 further comprising at least one radiator material proximate said target, said radiator material producing recoil particles upon exposure to said neutrons, said recoil particles enhancing sputtering of said sputter material from said target. 3. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said target comprises a substrate and a surface deposition on said substrate, said surface deposition containing said sputter material. 4. The neutron dosimeter of claim 3 wherein said sputter material in said surface deposition is a noble gas. 5. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said sputter material is a noble gas. 6. The neutron dosimeter of claim 5 wherein said noble gas in an isotopic specie. 7. The neutron dosimeter of claim 5 wherein said noble gas is xenon. 8. The neutron dosimeter of claim 5 wherein said collector for said sputtered material is an enclosure for said target, said enclosure being initially substantially free of said noble gas. 9. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said sputter material is a noble metal. 10. The neutron dosimeter of claim 9 wherein said noble metal is gold. 11. The neutron dosimeter of claim 2 wherein said radiator material is selected to achieve a selected energy response to said neutrons. 12. The neutron dosimeter of claim 2 wherein said radiator material comprises ordered layers of recoil particle radiator material, and wherein said target and said radiator material are encompassed in an enclosure. 13. The neutron dosimeter of claim 2 wherein said radiator material comprises small particles of recoil particle radiator material, and said target comprises small particles, said small particles of radiator material being randomly mixed with said small particles of said target. 14. The neutron dosimeter of claim 2 wherein said radiator material is a liquid, and said target comprises small particles suspended in said liquid radiator, and further comprises an enclosure for said liquid radiator containing said small particles of said target. 15. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said matrix material is a polycrystalline metal, and said sputter material is a noble gas entrapped in said matrix. 16. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said matrix material in an amorphous metal, and said sputter material is a noble gas entrapped in said matrix. 17. The neutron dosimeter of claim 1 wherein said matrix materials is silicon, and said sputter material is a noble gas entrapped in said matrix. 18. The neutron dosimeter of claim 2 wherein said radiator material is a hydrocarbon. 19. A neutron dosimeter to determine the magnitude of dose or fluence of neutrons having energies from a few ev to 10.sup.7 ev with sufficient sensitivity to cover a range from less than 1 mrad to several megarads, which comprises: 20. A neutron dosimeter to determine the magnitude of dose or fluence of neutrons having energies from a few ev to 10.sup.7 ev with sufficient sensitivity to cover a range from less than 1 mrad to several megarads, which comprises;