On 21 May 2024, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research received a patent for the utility model titled “Compact low-background helium-3-based neutron counter”. The utility model relates to means for measuring nuclear radiation, namely detecting neutrons using a proportional helium-3-based counter. Helium-3-based neutron counters are one of the main tools for registering slow (thermal) neutrons.

The authors are employees of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems at JINR: DLNP JINR Director, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Evgeny Yakushev, Head of the Experimental Department of Nuclear Spectroscopy and Radiochemistry, Candidate of Physics and Mathematics Sergey Rozov, an engineer Sergey Evseev, an engineer Ilya Kamnev, and a repairman Andrey Yemelyanov.

Congratulations to the authors on receiving the patent for their invention!

Fig. 1. Proportional counter circuit: (1) anode, metal thread; (2) cathode, counter body

More details about the invention

The utility model relates to means for measuring nuclear radiation, namely detecting neutrons using a proportional helium-3-based counter. Helium-3-based neutron counters are one of the main tools for registering slow (thermal) neutrons. The low-background helium-3-based neutron counter includes a metal housing internally coated with a copper layer. The copper layer has a thickness of at least 25 microns. The technical result is the simplification of the manufacturing technology of a neutron counter with a reduced internal α background.