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.
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Contribution to the Focus Point on “3He replacement in neutron detection: Current status and perspective” edited by N. Colonna, A. Pietropaolo, F. Sacchetti.
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Hurd, A.J., Kouzes, R.T. Why new neutron detector materials must replace helium-3. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 129, 236 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14236-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14236-6