Neutron dosimeters employing high-efficiency perforated semiconductor detectors

A technology that makes use of recently developed high-efficiency, low-power semiconductor detectors for neutron dosimetry is described. Silicon semiconductor material is perforated using plasma etching techniques; the surface is then coated and the perforations are filled with neutron reactive material. These perforated detectors appear to be capable of greater than 40% efficiency when used in a sandwich design. Devices incorporating bare and cadmium-filtered perforated semiconductor detectors with micro-controller hardware to process and readout the detectors can be made small enough to function as portable neutron dosimeters. Monte Carlo modeling that relates the detector responses to phantom dose equivalent at various positions on an elliptical water phantom is discussed