Patent ID: 6876711

Claim:
A method of detecting neutrons comprising the steps of: providing a neutron detector comprising a silicon surface barrier charged particle detector; disposing a sol-gel medium on a detector surface of the silicon surface barrier charged particle detector; incorporating a fissionable material into the sol-gel medium; absorbing a neutron Into the fissionable material, yielding at least one fission product comprising a prompt emission; disposing a beta particle-emitting activation material over, and parallel to, the detector surface so that the activation material responds to an additional neutron from a same radiation as does the fissionable material; emitting a charged particle from the activation material capable of passing through the sol-gel medium to the detector surface to augment a detection, per unit of time, of a quantity of neutrons detected, per unit of time, through a detection of the prompt emission from the fissionable material; detecting in real time the fission product and the charged particle; and measuring an energy level exceeding any enemy level capable of being produced by a gamma radiation.