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CMOS-Based Neutron Spectroscopic Dosimeter (CNSD)

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX08CB10P
Agency Tracking Number: 074509
Amount: $99,996.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X14.03
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2007
Award Year: 2008
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2008-01-18
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2008-07-21
Small Business Information
44 Hunt Street
Watertown, MA 02472-4699
United States
DUNS: 073804411
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 James Christian
 Principal Investigator
 (617) 668-6800
 JChristian@rmdinc.com
Business Contact
 Nancy Marshall
Title: Contracts Manager
Phone: (617) 668-6810
Email: NMarshall@rmdinc.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Monitoring space radiation and the dose received by astronauts is important, especially for future long-duration missions. Neutrons contribute a significant component to the total radiation dose during solar events. We propose to develop a rugged, compact, lightweight, non-hazardous CMOS-based detector technology for an existing neutron spectroscopic dosimeter system. The existing system utilizes a unique gelled scintillation material, which enables the discrimination of neutron signals from gamma background using time profile of the scintillation signal.
We will demonstrate that the ultra-compact CMOS-SSPM integrated with its readout electronics can replace photomultiplier tubes and its discrete readout components used in the existing neutron spectroscopic dosimeter system. When coupled to the existing system, the proposed technology will demonstrate a technology readiness level of 4. This provides the necessary basis for a flight-ready neutron spectrometer system able to efficiently detect neutrons with energies up to 150MeV, and capable of rejecting gamma-ray and charged particle backgrounds using, respectively, the pulse shape discrimination characteristic of the gel scintillation detector and the of anti-coincidence scintillation detectors.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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