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Material Identification by Detecting Characteristic Radiative Emissions

Summary

Lead Inventors: Charles Hailey, Ph.D.Problem or Unmet Need:There is a present lack of methods or devices for low-background detection and localization of materials, such as dense nuclear materials and banned materials e.g. Uranium-238 shielded in shipping containers. This is because these materials are opaque to conventional imaging and detection devices, such as X-ray screening; and especially for Uranium, detectable signatures are fewer and weaker. There also lacks a practical detector for substantially-simultaneous detection and correlation of multiple characteristic radiative emissions, such as X-rays and neutrons, emitted from the deexcitation of exotic atoms. Specifically, no known method can identify a material by the correlation of one or more characteristic radiative emissions resulting from a substantially single deexcitation of one exotic atom. Electronic transition between electronic shells, which are unique to each species of matter, is accompanied by characteristic emissions. It is also known that atoms may capture energetic subatomic particles or antimatter particles into the shell structure and form exotic atoms. An exotic atom may then emit one or more radiative emissions with known characteristics in deexcitation process. This invention presents method and apparatus to detect materials by characteristic energetic radiative emissions. The method involves detecting radiative emissions from deexcitation of an exotic atom, using X-ray detectors. The characteristic radiative emissions and correlation between them are then used to identify the sample according to the unique identifying energy spectrum. When more then one incident particle is applied, multi-dimensional localization of the sample is also possible. Antimatter particles inducing the X-ray emissions can be muons. Preliminary computer simulations suggest 2-10 minutes to detect and identify Uranium (or any other element) present in the container.

Technology Benefits

Capable of penetrating materials opaque to traditional ionizing radiation (e.g. imaging X-rays) Inherently noise free material identification, because the detection of unique characteristic X-ray spectrum is a sure indication The system can be made safe for commercial use. Since no ionizing radiation (e.g. imaging X-rays) is used, human operators will not be exposed to a large dose of X-rays Allows utilization of various electronic counterpart complements like photomultiplier tube (PMT) and photodiodes, thereby enhancing the operation of the system Existing X-ray detector technology can be leveraged significantly, which can reduce the cost System can be fully automated or run by operators with minimal technical training

Technology Application

For detecting correlated radiative emissions e.g. X-rays and neutrons from deexcitation of exotic atoms in sample, e.g. materials concealed in shipping containers Especially for identification of banned materials e.g. dense nuclear materials e.g. Uranium-238 hidden in sealed and shielded shipping containers or suitcases in shipping port or customs station Provide a method for determining correlation between two emitted radiative emissions

Detailed Technology Description

Electronic transition between electronic shells, which are unique to each species of matter, is accompanied by characteristic emissions. It is also known that atoms may capture energetic subatomic particles or antimatter particles into the shel...

*Abstract

None

*Inquiry

Beth Kauderer Columbia Technology Ventures Tel: (212) 854-8444 Email: TechTransfer@columbia.edu

*IR

M03-042

*Principal Investigator

*Web Links

EPO: AU2004254570USPTO_1: US 7,015,475USPTO_2: US 7,301,150

Country/Region

USA