1. A device comprising:
a scintillator material;
an optically transparent element comprising a glass or polymer and gadolinium oxide;
wherein the optically transparent element is surrounded by the scintillator material; and
one or more photomultiplier tubes adjacent to the scintillator material.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the optically transparent element comprises about 10 to about 70 wt % gadolinium oxide.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the glass or polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the scintillator material comprises an atom having an atomic number of at least 45.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the scintillator material comprises:
diiodomethane; and
a luminescent dye encapsulated in micelles.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the scintillator material comprises:
a porous inorganic glass comprising a metal oxide;
wherein the metal in the metal oxide has an atomic number of at least 45; and
a combination of a polymer matrix and a luminescent dye filling the pores of the porous inorganic glass.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the metal in the metal oxide is lead, barium, or lanthanum.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein the porous inorganic glass further comprises a rare earth element.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the scintillator material comprises:
a polymer matrix;
metal ions having an atomic number of at least 45; and
a luminescent dye.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the polymer matrix is polyvinyl alcohol.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the metal ion is lanthanide.
12. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a neutron moderator adjacent to the scintillator material.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the neutron moderator comprises polyethylene.
14. A method comprising:
positioning the device of claim 1 at a neutron detection location;
monitoring the output of the photomultiplier tubes; and
recording the detection of a neutron when the output exceeds a predetermined threshold.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A carry bag comprising:
a container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects; and
a strap portion extending from the container portion,
wherein at least one of the container portion and the strap portion include (a) a base element formed from a two-dimensional material and (b) a strand formed from a one-dimensional material, the strand lying adjacent to and substantially parallel to a surface of the base element for a distance of at least five centimeters.
2. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein at least one cover layer is secured to the surface of the base element, and the strand is located between the cover layer and the base element.
3. The carry bag recited in claim 2, wherein the cover layer is at least semi-transparent, and the strand is at least partially visible through the cover layer.
4. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein the strap portion has an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, and the strand extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
5. The carry bag recited in claim 4, wherein a plurality of additional strands extend in the direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
6. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein the strand extends from the strap portion to the container portion.
7. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein the base element is joined to another element with a seam, and the strand extends across the seam.
8. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein the strap portion is secured to an upper area of the container portion, and the strand extends from the strap portion to a lower area of the container portion.
9. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein the strap is secured to the container portion at a connection point, and the strand extends outward from an area proximal to the connection point.
10. The carry bag recited in claim 1, wherein a material of the strand is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.
11. A carry bag comprising:
a container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects, the container portion including a first element formed from a two-dimensional material; and
a strap portion extending from the container portion, the strap portion including a second element formed from a two-dimensional material,
wherein a plurality of strands formed from a one-dimensional material lie adjacent to and substantially parallel to (a) a surface of the first element for a distance of at least five centimeters and (b) a surface of the second element for distances of at least five centimeters.
12. The carry bag recited in claim 11, wherein the first element is joined to the second element at a seam, and the strands extend across the seam.
13. The carry bag recited in claim 11, wherein at least one cover layer is secured to the surface of the first element and the surface of the second element, and the strands are located between the cover layer and the each of the first element and the second element.
14. The carry bag recited in claim 13, wherein the cover layer is at least semi-transparent, and the strands are at least partially visible through the cover layer.
15. The carry bag recited in claim 11, wherein the strap portion has an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, and the strands extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
16. The carry bag recited in claim 11, wherein the strap portion is secured to an upper area of the container portion, and the strands extend from the strap portion to a lower area of the container portion.
17. The carry bag recited in claim 11, wherein a material of the strands is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.
18. A carry bag comprising:
a container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects; and
a strap portion secured to and extending outward from the container portion, the strap portion including:
a base element formed from a two-dimensional material, the base element having a first surface and an opposite second surface,
a plurality of strands formed from a one-dimensional material, the strands lying adjacent to and substantially parallel to the first surface of the base element for a distance of at least five centimeters, and
a cushioning element positioned adjacent to the second surface of the base element.
19. The carry bag recited in claim 18, wherein at least one cover layer is secured to the first surface of the base element, the strands being located between the cover layer and the first surface.
20. The carry bag recited in claim 19, wherein the strands are visible through the cover layer.
21. The carry bag recited in claim 18, wherein the strap portion has an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, and the strands extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
22. The carry bag recited in claim 18, wherein the strands extend from the strap portion to the container portion, the strands lying adjacent to and substantially parallel to a surface of a material element incorporated into the container portion for a distance of at least five centimeters.
23. The carry bag recited in claim 22, wherein the strap portion is secured to an upper area of the container portion, and the strands extend from the strap portion to a lower area of the container portion.
24. The carry bag recited in claim 18, wherein a material of the strands is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.
25. A carry bag comprising:
a container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects, the container portion including:
at least one base element formed from a two-dimensional material and extending around the interior compartment, and
a plurality of strands formed from a one-dimensional material, the strands lying adjacent to and substantially parallel to a surface of the base element for a distance of at least five centimeters, and the strands extending continuously from an upper area of the container portion to a lower area of the container portion; and
a strap portion for carrying the carry bag, the strap portion being secured to and extending outward from the upper area of the container portion.
26. The carry bag recited in claim 25, wherein at least one cover layer is secured to the surface of the base element, and the strands are located between the cover layer and the base element.
27. The carry bag recited in claim 26, wherein the cover layer is at least semi-transparent, the strands being at least partially visible through the cover layer.
28. The carry bag recited in claim 25, wherein the strap portion has an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, and the strands extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
29. The carry bag recited in claim 25, wherein a first portion of the strands are substantially parallel to each other and a second portion of the strands cross each other.
30. The carry bag recited in claim 25, wherein a material of the strands is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.
31. A carry bag comprising a container portion and a strap portion, the container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects, and the strap portion extending outward from the container portion, at least one of the container portion and the strap portion including:
a base element formed from a two-dimensional material;
a plurality of strands formed from a one-dimensional material, the strands each lying adjacent to and substantially parallel to a surface of the base element for a distance of at least five centimeters; and
a cover layer secured to the surface of the base element, the cover layer being formed from a material that is at least semi-transparent,
wherein the strands are located between the cover layer and the base element, and the strands are at least partially visible through the cover layer.
32. The carry bag recited in claim 31, wherein the strands are located in the strap portion, the strap portion having an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, and the strand extending in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
33. The carry bag recited in claim 31, wherein the strands are located in the container portion and extend continuously from an upper area to a lower area of the container portion.
34. The carry bag recited in claim 33, wherein the strands extend from the strap portion to the container portion.
35. The carry bag recited in claim 33, wherein the strap portion is secured to an upper area of the container portion, and the strands extend from the strap portion to a lower area of the container portion.
36. A carry bag having a configuration of a backpack, the carry bag comprising:
a container portion defining an interior compartment for containing objects, the container portion having an upper area and an opposite lower area, at least the upper area including a zipper for providing access to the interior compartment;
a first strap portion secured to each of the upper area of the container portion and the lower area of the container portion, the first strap portion having a base element and a plurality of strands that lie adjacent to and substantially parallel to a surface of the base element for a distance of at least five centimeters, and the first strap portion having an elongate configuration that defines a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the strands extending in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; and
a second strap portion secured to each of the upper area of the container portion and the lower area of the container portion.
37. The carry bag recited in claim 36, wherein at least one cover layer is secured to the surface of the base element, and the strands are located between the cover layer and the base element.
38. The carry bag recited in claim 37, wherein the strands are at least partially visible through the cover layer.
39. The carry bag recited in claim 36, wherein at least a portion of the strands extend from the strap portion to the container portion.
40. The carry bag recited in claim 36, wherein at least a portion of the strands extend from the strap portion to the upper area of the container portion, and the strands extend from the upper area of the container portion to the lower area of the container portion.