Patent · US Expired

Large area solid state nucler detector with high spatial resolution

US4942302A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 1988
Grant dateJul 17, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01T1/203
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A large area nuclear detection system with high resolution includes a sensor formed of scintillating optical fibers and a remotely located detector comprising at least a pair of microchannel plate photomultiplier tubes, with the sensitive area of the sensor being many times the area of the detectors. Two linear arrays of optical fibers are arranged orthogonally to define a sensor matrix of rows and columns of fibers. Nuclear radiation from a particle at the sensor is converted to optical energy by the sensor. A microchannel PMT is connected with each array for measuring the optical energy output of the fibers thereof to determine the row and column location of the nuclear particle in accordance with the quantity of energy received from the fibers. Thus, nuclear radiation can be detected over a large area with a high degree of accuracy and resolution. A characterizing feature of the detection system is the conversion of the output of large orthogonally arranged layers of scintillator elements from a long and narrow rectangular format to a square or round output format to match the detector which typically has round or square sensitive areas of a few centimeters.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.