Compact heterogeneous-lattice antineutrino detector
This technology is a detector designed to sense antineutrinos — extremely elusive subatomic particles that pass through almost everything. It works by stacking alternating layers of two different light-producing materials: one containing hydrogen to catch the positron released in an antineutrino interaction, and one containing a neutron-absorbing agent to catch the neutron released at nearly the same instant. Because the two materials produce light pulses with different timing signatures, a detector can confirm both signals arrived together and reject false alarms. The layered 'lattice' design allows the detector to be built at practically any scale and can operate without the need for a deep underground shielding installation.
What you could build
A deployable antineutrino detector system sold to nuclear nonproliferation agencies, national laboratories, or naval reactor monitoring programs that need to confirm whether a nuclear reactor is operating — and potentially its power level — from a standoff distance. Buyers would include government defense and intelligence contractors, IAEA safeguards programs, and national nuclear security agencies.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense and intelligence contractors concentrated in Northern Virginia and Newport News shipbuilding interests (naval nuclear propulsion monitoring) would have direct operational interest in compact reactor-monitoring technology.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- —
- Granted
- October 1, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 102816
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.