Phononic crystal as a neutron detector

Abstract

A perfect phononic crystal model composed of concrete and epoxy, and another defect model of Aluminum/Concrete/Epoxy were proposed. The two models were analyzed computationally and theoretically based on the transfer matrix method. The proposed models were capable of detecting and sensing neutrons irradiations over a wide fluence range based on the effects of neutrons fluence on the Young's modulus of the concrete. The neutrons fluence significantly changed the transmission spectra of the phononic crystal models whether the neutrons-induced temperature was considered or not as the phononic band gaps and the local resonant peaks were shifted. Also, neutrons irradiations made a strong dispersion in the conventional parameters of the proposed phononic crystal models. The results presented in this work might pave the way for designing an effective detector that works over a wide range of neutron fluence.

Keywords: Band gap; Concrete phononic crystal; Neutrons irradiation; Transmission spectrum.