Claims
- 1. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor comprising:
- a fiber optic having first and second ends;
- a coating disposed on the first end of the fiber optic and having a first neutron-sensitive phosphor constituent and a second activated thermophosphor constituent;
- neutrons absorbed by the first constituent producing charged particles which cause scintillations to radiate from the second constituent;
- light detector means, coupled to the second end of the fiber optic, for converting the scintillations into an electrical signal; and
- means, coupled to the light detector means, for correlating a count of the scintillations into a value indicative of neutron flux and at least one characteristic of the scintillations into a value indicative of temperature.
- 2. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first constituent is 6LiF and the second constituent is rare-earth activated Y203.
- 3. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 2, wherein 95% of the Li is 6Li.
- 4. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light detector means is a photomultiplier tube, and the signal processing means includes a discriminator-counter and a waveform digitizer, each being coupled to respective displays for indicating neutron flux and temperature, respectively.
- 5. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detected light has a lifetime which varies in accordance with variations in ambient temperature at the first end of the fiber optic.
- 6. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detected light has an emission spectrum for which the amplitude of the emission peaks varies in accordance with variations in ambient temperature at the first end of the fiber optic.
- 7. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light detector means is a photodiode and the signal processing means includes a discriminator-counter and a waveform digitizer, each being coupled to respective displays for indicating neutron flux and temperature, respectively.
- 8. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor comprising:
- a fiber optic having first and second ends;
- a coating disposed on the first end of the fiber optic and having a neutron-sensitive activated thermophosphor constituent;
- neutrons absorbed by the coating producing charged particles which cause scintillations to radiate from the thermophosphor constituent;
- light detector means, coupled to the second end of the fiber optic, for converting the scintillations into an electrical signal; and
- means, coupled to the light detector means, for correlating a count of the scintillations into a value indicative of neutron flux and at least one characteristic of the scintillations into a value indicative of temperature.
- 9. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 8, wherein the thermophosphor constituent is Y203.
- 10. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 8, wherein the light detector means is a photomultiplier tube, and the signal processing means includes a discriminator-counter and a waveform digitizer, each being coupled to respective displays for indicating neutron flux and temperature, respectively.
- 11. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 8, wherein the detected light has a lifetime which varies in accordance with variations in ambient temperature at the first end of the fiber optic.
- 12. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 8, wherein the detected light has an emission spectrum for which the amplitude of the emission peaks varies in accordance with variations in ambient temperature at the first end of the fiber optic.
- 13. A dual neutron flux/temperature measurement sensor according to claim 8, wherein the light detector means is a photodiode and the signal processing means includes a discriminator-counter and a waveform digitizer, each being coupled to respective displays for indicating neutron flux and temperature, respectively.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 07/933,372, filed on Aug. 24, 1992, now abandoned.
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under contract DE-AC05-84OR21400 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. and the Government has certain rights in this invention.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (4)
Entry |
Allison et al., Remote thermometry in a combustion environment using the phosphor technique, SPIE vol. 788 Flow Visulization and Aero Optics In Stimulated Environment 1987. |
R. Stedman, Scintillator for Thermal Neutrons Using Li.sup.6 F and ZnS(Ag), Ontario, Canada, Jun. 20, 1960. |
Sun et al., High-Efficiency Slow-Neutron Scintillation Counters, vol. 14, No. 7-Jul., 1956 Nucleonics. |
Cates et al., Remote Thermometry of Moving Surfaces by Laser-Induced Fluorescence of Surface-Bonded Phosphor, Nov. 1983. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
933372 |
Aug 1992 |
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