• Homeland Security
• Medical Physics
• Neutron Detection
• Radiation Safety
• Superheated Drop Detectors

In this research, a neutron detection system, based on SDDs (Superheated Drop Detectors) and an optical scattering readout approach, was built for the detection of fast neutrons. It has the potential to be used in applications for homeland security, radiation safety, personnel neutron dosimetry, and neutron spectrometry.
SDDs can be made insensitive to gamma-rays and since most neutron detectors are also sensitive to gamma-rays, they tend to be blind in applications in the presence of high gamma-ray background.
In homeland security, active interrogation (AI) techniques use high energy X-ray beams to trigger fission reactions in SNM and SDDs are suitable as prompt fission neutron detectors since they are not blinded.
In addition, superheated droplets dosimeters have achieved full acceptance by ICRP and ISO for personnel neutron dosimetry.
Chemical composition and thermodynamic operative parameters of SDDs can be modified in order to achieve a selective response to neutrons of different energies.
An optical readout detection system was designed, realized, tested, and calibrated for SDDs placed in containers ranging from few mL glass vials to few liters tempered glass vessels.
The readout system of vessel SDDs was equipped with a digital PID pressure controller, and it was tested in order to be validated as a prompt fission neutron detector in Homeland Security applications.
Since the system is also compact, it is suitable as a personal alarm dosimeter, or as a portable SDDs reader in photo-neutron contamination studies.
The use of a modified, compact electrons LINAC was also explored as a portable active interrogation source in AI techniques using the SDDs optoelectronic readout as the prompt fission neutrons detection system.