A Fully Encapsulated Directional Self-Powered Gamma Ray Detector for Use in in-Core Nuclear Reactor Measurements

A study of a fully encapsulated directional self-powered gamma ray detector designed for localized incore measurements in a nuclear reactor was conducted. The detector consisted of a multilayer arrangement of a metal-dielectric-metal-dielectric-metal structure. The dielectric material was made of two plates of unequal thicknesses which were placed on opposite sides of the central metal plate. The direction discrimination exhibited by the detector was attributed to the combined effect of electron ranges, Photo-Compton electron generation rates, and the presence of E-fields in the unequal thicknesses of dielectric material. Results showing the response of the detector when it was placed in a gamma ray field with a known anisotropic component are presented.