Method and device for the sensing of neutrons

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A SOURCE OF NEUTRONS, A NEUTRON SENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY RESPONSIVE TO THE FLOW OF NEUTRONS FROM SAID SOURCE WHEN IN OPERATION AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND OF THE TYPE AIIIBV WHEREIN AIII IS AN ELEMENT FROM THE THIRD PERIODIC GROUP OF ELEMENTS AND BV IS AN ELEMENT FROM THE FIFTH PERIODIC GROUP, SAID COMPOUND CONTAINING AS ONE OF ITS CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS A SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BORON AND NITROGEN, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID SEMI-CONDUCTOR BODY AND HAVING A CURRENT SOURCE CONNECTED WITH SAID BODY, AND OUTPUT MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID CIRCUIT, SAID SEMICONDUCTOR BODY FORMING, DURING SENSING OPERATION OF THE DEVICE, THE ONLY CONDITION-RESPONSIVELY VARIABLE COMPONENT OF SAID CIRCUIT SO THAT SAID OUTPUT MEANS RESPONDS TO ELECTRIC PARAMETER CHANGE CAUSED IN SAID BODY DUE TO INCIDENCE OF NEUTRONS.