Patent ID: 8314399

Claim:
A radiation detector, comprising: a neutron sensing element comprising a neutron scintillating composite material that emits a first photon having a first wavelength in response to a neutron capture event, and an optical waveguide material at least partially surrounding the neutron scintillating composite material, the optical waveguide material having a wavelength-shifting dopant dispersed therein that absorbs the first photon emitted by the neutron scintillating composite material and emits a second photon having a second wavelength, the second wavelength different than the first wavelength, and a functionalized reflective layer at an interface between the neutron scintillating composite material and the optical waveguide material, wherein the functionalized reflective layer allows the first photon emitted by the neutron scintillating composite material to pass through the functionalized reflective layer and into the optical waveguide material, and prevents the second photon emitted by the optical waveguide material from passing through the functionalized reflective layer and into the neutron scintillating composite material, and wherein photons emitted from the neutron sensing element are collected and channeled through the optical waveguide material and into a photosensing element optically coupled to the neutron sensing element.