Superconducting gamma and fast-neutron spectrometers with high energy resolution
US7446314B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01T1/366
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Superconducting Gamma-ray and fast-neutron spectrometers with very high energy resolution operated at very low temperatures are provided. The sensor consists of a bulk absorber and a superconducting thermometer weakly coupled to a cold reservoir, and determines the energy of the incident particle from the rise in temperature upon absorption. A superconducting film operated at the transition between its superconducting and its normal state is used as the thermometer, and sensor operation at reservoir temperatures around 0.1 K reduces thermal fluctuations and thus enables very high energy resolution. Depending on the choice of absorber material, the spectrometer can be configured either as a Gamma-spectrometer or as a fast-neutron spectrometer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.