Single phase polycrystalline hexagonal boron nitride (BN) or mixed with boron carbide (B_xC) and/or polycrystalline cubic lithium fluoride (LiF) have been embedded in an insulating polymeric matrix acting as a binder and forming a composite material. Such materials have been tested as thermal neutron converters in a multilayer thermal neutron detector design. Metal sheet electrodes were covered with 20 - 50 microns thick layers of composite material and assembled in a multi-layer sandwich configuration. High voltage was applied to the metal electrodes to create in an interspacing electric field. The spacing volume could be filled with air, nitrogen or argon. Thermal neutrons were captured in converter layers due to the presence of the ¹⁰B isotope. The resulting nuclear reaction produced a-particles and ⁷Li ions which ionized the gas in the spacing volume. Electron ion pairs were collected by the field to create an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the neutron source. Pixel structures of such neutron detectors necessary for imaging applications will be discussed as well.

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