Gd-bearing composite scintillators as the new thermal neutron detectors

The technology that was designed for organic composite scintillators as detectors of fast neutrons and alpha particles is applied to develop new composite inorganic detector of thermal neutrons. The composite scintillators on the base of Ce:Gd 2 SiO 5 and Ce:Gd 2 Si 2 O 7 grains were studied. The results of the measurements obtained for single crystals and composite scintillators are compared and discussed.