Device for Generating Thermal Neutron Beams with High Brilliance and Method of Manufacturing Same

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The invention describes a device and manufacturing method for generating high-brilliance thermal neutron beams. It innovatively uses one or more channels within a neutron moderator, which connect the inner region (preferably near the neutron source) to the moderator's surface. These channels guide thermal neutrons efficiently out of the moderator, increasing their directional intensity and brilliance, particularly for use in neutron scattering instruments. The device works with accelerator- or laser-driven neutron sources, and the channels can be drilled in solid moderator materials or implemented as tubes in liquid moderators. The surfaces of channels are specially treated or coated to maximize neutron reflection and minimize losses.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Neutron scattering experiments in materials research (e.g., studying atomic structures)
• Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for cancer treatment
• Production of high-quality neutron beams for physics experiments in research reactors or accelerator facilities
• Industrial non-destructive testing using neutron radiography
• Calibration and testing of neutron detectors and radiation measurement instruments
• Development of compact neutron sources for universities and laboratories

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Substantially increased directional intensity (brilliance) of thermal neutron beams, enhancing experimental results
• More efficient use of neutron sources, reducing the need for higher power accelerators
• Ability to fine-tune neutron beam properties (e.g., brilliance, intensity, directionality) via the number and design of channels
• Reduction of measurement time and improved accuracy in neutron-based experiments
• Design flexibility allows for operation with various neutron sources and moderator materials
• Practical and cost-effective, allowing for more compact implementations than traditional reactor setups
• Channels with reflective coatings and filters selectively deliver thermal neutrons while suppressing unwanted fast neutrons, improving beam purity

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention has the object of extracting as many suitable and as few unsuitable neutrons as possible from a moderator into beam tubes, also called neutron guides, to the neutron scattering instruments. The object of the invention is achieved by a device comprising an accelerator- or laser-driven neutron source and a moderator for moderating neutrons from the neutron source, characterized in that one or more channels are present in the moderator, which lead from an inner region of the moderator to the surface of the moderator. A channel within the meaning of the present invention can conduct thermal neutrons. A channel within the meaning of the present invention can be drilled into the moderator material if the material of the moderator is a solid. If the material of the moderator is a liquid, a metallic tube such as an aluminum tube can serve as a channel within the meaning of the present invention.