High detection efficiency neutron sensitive microchannel plate

Direct addition of neutron-absorbing atoms into MCP glass, such as 10B and 155,157Gd, without changing the remainder of MCP fabrication process, can make MCP sensitive to neutrons. Since the much larger cross section of 157Gd, the MCP doped with natGd2O3 is more efficient than one doped with enriched 10B2O3, theoretical indicates that the detection efficiency of a MCP doped with 3 mole% of natGd2O3 is equivalent even superior to a MCP doped with 20 mole% of 10B2O3. In this paper a 50 mm diameter rimless format 10 μm pore diameter MCP doped with 3 mole% natGd2O3 was fabricated, but the MCP glass doped with 20 mol% of natB2O3 failed to pass through the corrosive chemical processing necessary in MCPs manufacture. A primary experimental tests proved the MCP doped with 3 mole% natGd2O3 is capable of imaging thermal neutrons with 35% detection efficiency. A potential of enhancement on detection efficiency should be achieved for a optimized geometry MCP with an appropriate selection between bias angle, open area ratio and length to diameter ratio.