Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for detecting and discriminating between particles and rays

US5155366A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
2References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 30, 1991
Grant dateOct 13, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 30, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01T1/20
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Apparatus and method for detecting a particular type of particle in an energy range of interest are provided. The apparatus includes two photomultipliers (24, 26) which are spaced apart in facing relation to one another. A scintillator (22) is positioned between the photomultipliers (24, 26). The scintillator (22) comprises an array of optical fibers, preferably light pipes (40), arranged substantially contiguously side-by-side. Each of the light pipes (40) has a first end proximate the first photomultiplier (24) and an opposing second end proximate the second photomultiplier (26). Each light pipe (40) has one of its ends being non-transmissive of light. The light pipes are arranged so that contiguous ones of the light pipes (40) do not have their same ends being non-transmissive of light. Each of the light pipes (40) in the array have a cross sectional dimension thereof chosen in relation to a distance that the particular type of particle in the energy range of interest can travel. A signal processor unit (28) uses signals from the photomultipliers (24, 26) to determine when a particular type of particle in the energy range of interest is detected. The signal processor unit (28) d…

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