  A series of test experiments on three different Si-based neutron detectors,
namely a 1-d 128 channel, 0.5 mm space resolution Si microstrip sensor coupled
to natural Gd converter, a medium size ? 1 cm2 PIN diode coupled to nGd2O3 or
157Gd2O3 converters, and a SiPM photomultiplier coupled to neutron
scintillators, are presented to show the performances of this class of devices
for thermal neutron detection. A pulse shape analysis method, designed to
improve the performance of these devices by an optimized discrimination of the
neutron signals from noise and background radiation, is proposed, described and
tested. This study is aimed to real time applications and single event storage
of the neutron information in time of flight instrumentation.
