Nanostructured neutron sensitive materials for well logging applications
US9335436B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 2013 |
| Grant date | May 10, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 13, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49117
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation includes: a neutron source disposed in a borehole; a neutron detector having a neutron detection material that includes a material transparent to light having a plurality of nano-crystallites where each nano-crystallite in the plurality has a periodic crystal structure with a diameter or dimension that is less than 1000 nm and includes atoms of a neutron interaction material that emit a charged particle upon absorbing a received neutron and atoms of an activator material that provide for scintillation upon interacting with the charged particle to emit light photons wherein the atoms of the neutron interaction material and the atoms of the activator material have positions in the periodic crystal structure of each nano-crystallite in the plurality; a photodetector that receives the photons and provides a signal correlated to the photons; and a processor to estimate the property using the signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.