The present invention provides a method for determining a background count rate in liquid scintillation counting. The method comprises measuring external standard spectra of a sample, determining, from the external standard spectra, a triple to double coincidence ratio and a quench parameter, determining, based on the triple to double coincidence ratio and the quench parameter, a background reference parameter, and determining, based on the background reference parameter, the background count rate from a background reference curve.

The present disclosure is directed to liquid boron compounds for use in scintillation. The present disclosure further relates to liquid boron compounds for admixture to plastic and liquid scintillators.

Method and apparatus for detection of radiation, including: a method and apparatus for detection of fast and/or thermal neutrons; a method and apparatus for detection of neutrons in high backgrounds of gamma rays; a method and apparatus having high sensitivity and/or high gamma discrimination; a method and apparatus including a given single material that can detect fast neutrons and simultaneously detect gamma rays with moderate energy resolution. Liquid, viscous liquid, gel, and/or solid scintillating materials. A scintillating matrix, such as a liquid, having a highly polar matrix, such as a liquid solvent, dissolved dyes, and a high concentration of a dissolved organo metallic compound. The use of a single material for a large area detector of fast neutrons and gamma rays can provide material and cost benefits.

A method and device for measuring the magnetic rigidity of penetrating charged particles uses an elongated transparent ionizable medium, surrounded by a reflective interface, extending along a helical path around a longitudinal axis. A magnet applies a magnetic field to the medium in a direction along the longitudinal axis. A single luminosity proportional photon detector is operationally associated with the medium and adapted to generate signals indicative of the number of photons transiting the medium. A controller is adapted to receive the signals and calculate a penetration depth of the ionizing particle through the medium based on the number of photons transiting the medium and a magnetic rigidity of the charged particle based upon the penetration depth.

Polymerization composition for manufacturing a hybrid material for plastic scintillation detection comprising: monomers, oligomers or their mixtures intended to form at least one constituent polymer of a polymeric matrix; a liquid fluorescent mixture comprising i) 95.6 molar % to 99.1 molar % of a main primary fluorophore consisting of naphthalene and ii) 0.9 molar % to 4.4 molar % of an additional primary fluorophore, the centroid of the light absorption spectrum and of the fluorescence emission spectrum, the fluorescence decay constant and the fluorescence quantum yield of which are judiciously chosen.

The decay constant of the fluorescence of the hybrid material manufactured with the polymerization composition is intermediate between that of a fast plastic scintillator material and of a slow plastic scintillator material. Further, it can be chosen over a wide range.

The invention also relates to ready-for-use kits for manufacturing a polymerization composition.

Neutron dosimetry is performed using a water-based chemical dosimeter measurement of radiation-induced reduction of hexavalent Cr (VI) to trivalent Cr (III) in the presence of sodium formate at pH 9.2. Neutron absorbance material (Gd-157) increases the neutron interaction with the dosimeter. When a monoenergetic beam with 0.025 eV energy was used as a thermal neutron source 1 mol/dm.sup.3 of Gadolinium gave the best outcome while surrounding the dosimeter with 1 cm Gadolinium sheets. The dosimeter was giving acceptable readings when using thermal neutrons.

A method and device for measuring the magnetic rigidity of penetrating charged particles uses an elongated transparent ionizable medium, surrounded by a reflective interface, extending along a helical path around a longitudinal axis. A magnet applies a magnetic field to the medium in a direction along the longitudinal axis. A single luminosity proportional photon detector is operationally associated with the medium and adapted to generate signals indicative of the number of photons transiting the medium. A controller is adapted to receive the signals and calculate a penetration depth of the ionizing particle through the medium based on the number of photons transiting the medium and a magnetic rigidity of the charged particle based upon the penetration depth.

A method and a device for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles uses a one-dimensional transparent dielectric column which is surrounded by a specular reflector. The column is coupled to a photon counter and is enclosed in a light baffle to exclude external photons. Penetrating charged particles passing through the column interact with the column electromagnetically, producing photons which internally reflect down the column and are counted by the photon counter. The penetration depth of the charged particles through the column is deduced from the photon count by application of theoretical means. The resulting penetration depth is geometrically fit within the dimensions of the column, yielding a discrimination of the variance of the charged particle's trajectory from the pointing direction of the column. In an embodiment, a particle's magnetic rigidity is ascertained by photon counting.

A small, low power, solid state particle counter may be configured to detect radiation. A scintillator may be doped to emit light in a predetermined energy range when impacted by radiation particles. A photodiode attached to or held against the scintillator may be configured to detect the emitted light in the predetermined energy range and output a current proportional to an amount of the emitted light.

Polymerization composition for manufacturing a hybrid material for plastic scintillation detection comprising: a) monomers, oligomers or their mixtures intended to form at least one constituent polymer of a polymeric matrix and b) a liquid fluorescent mixture comprising i) 95.6 molar % to 99.1 molar % of a main primary fluorophore consisting of naphthalene and ii) 0.9 molar % to 4.4 molar % of an additional primary fluorophore; wherein the centroid of the light absorption spectrum and of the fluorescence emission spectrum, the fluorescence decay constant and the fluorescence quantum yield of which are judiciously chosen. The decay constant of the fluorescence of the hybrid material manufactured with the polymerization composition is intermediate between that of a fast plastic scintillator material and of a slow plastic scintillator. Further, it can be chosen over a wide range. The invention also relates to ready-for-use kits for manufacturing a polymerization composition.