Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2014) 129: 236
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14236-6

Regular Article

Why new neutron detector materials must replace helium-3

¹ Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
² Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA

^* e-mail: ajhurd@lanl.gov

Received: 29 July 2014
Revised: 15 September 2014
Accepted: 21 September 2014
Published online: 27 October 2014

Abstract

Helium-3 has such unique physical and nuclear properties that to a physicist it seems appalling the isotope was once indiscriminately released to the atmosphere as a waste gas. Not gravitationally bound to our planet, a He-3 atom is effectively lost to the human race once released. Consequently, when a confluence of independent factors in national security and research in the last decade created a “custody battle” over this scarce isotope, an intense search for substitutes and alternative technologies ensued for various applications. This Focus Point of EPJ Plus is dedicated to neutron detector alternatives.