Physics-based generation of gamma-ray response functions for CdZnTe detectors

A physics-based approach to gamma-ray response-function generation is presented in which the response of CdZnTe detectors is modeled from first principles. Numerical modeling is used to generate response functions needed for spectrum analysis for general detector configurations (e.g., electrode design, detector materials and geometry, and operating conditions). With numerical modeling, requirements for calibration and characterization are significantly reduced. Elements of the physics-based model, including gamma-ray transport, charge carrier drift and diffusion, and circuit response, are presented. Calculated and experimental gamma-ray spectra are compared for a coplanar-grid CdZnTe detector.     

Development and optimisation of a portable micro-XRF method for in situ multi-element analysis of ancient ceramics

Non-destructive analysis of cultural objects by micro-XRF spectrometry is an advantageous multi-element technique that has rapidly developed during the past few years. Portable instruments contribute significantly to the in situ analysis of valuable cultural objects, which cannot be transported to the laboratory. Ancient ceramics are the most common archaeological findings and they carry a significant historical content. Their analysis often presents certain particularities due to surface irregularities and heterogeneity problems. In the present work, the analytical characteristics (beam spot size, geometry effect and detection limits) of a compact and portable micro-XRF instrument with a monocapillary lens are presented in details. The standard reference materials SARM 69, SRM 620, NCS DC 73332 and the reference materials AWI-1 and PRI-1 were analysed for the determination of the detection limits (DL's) and the evaluation of the accuracy of the micro-XRF. Emphasis is given on the critical parameters, which should be monitored during measurements and influence the final results in the analysis of ancient ceramics. A quantitative analysis of ancient ceramic samples from Abdera (North Greece) is also presented.     

Comparison of portable detectors for uranium enrichment measurements

Uranium enrichment and holdup measurements require a detector capable of accurately obtaining the 186-keV peak area. NaI detectors have been widely used for these tasks. However, for recycled uranium, the interference of the 239-keV peak from the ²³²U decay chain challenges the capabilities of the NaI detectors to accurately extract the area of the 186-keV peak. Using CZT detectors, which have much better resolution than the NaI detectors, has temporarily solved this interference problem. However, the CZT detectors have setbacks in that they are generally small and have low efficiencies, which require long acquisition times for reasonable statistics. Recently, two new types of scintillator detectors have become available commercially, LaCl₃(Ce) and LaBr₃(Ce). These cerium-doped lanthanum halide detectors, with comparable resolution but better efficiency than the CZT detectors, appear to permanently solve the interference problem for recycled uranium measurements. In this report, we compare the uranium enrichment measurement performances of a portable NaI detector, a large coplanar-grid CZT detector, and a LaBr₃ detector.     

Exploring microdischarges for portable sensing applications

This paper describes the use of microdischarges as transducing elements in sensors and detectors. Chemical and physical sensing of gases, chemical sensing of liquids, and radiation detection are described. These applications are explored from the perspective of their use in portable microsystems, with emphasis on compactness, power consumption, the ability to operate at or near atmospheric pressure (to reduce pumping challenges), and the ability to operate in an air ambient (to reduce the need for reservoirs of carrier gases). Manufacturing methods and performance results are described for selected examples.

Diamond detectors for synchrotron radiation X-ray applications

Due to its unique physical properties, diamond is a very appealing material for the development of electronic devices and sensors. Its wide band gap (5.5 eV) endows diamond based devices with low thermal noise, low dark current levels and, in the case of radiation detectors, high visible-to-X-ray signal discrimination (visible blindness) as well as high sensitivity to energies greater than the band gap. Furthermore, due to its radiation hardness diamond is very interesting for applications in extreme environments, or as monitor of high fluency radiation beams. In this work the use of diamond based detectors for X-ray sensing is discussed. On purpose, some photo-conductors based on different diamond types have been tested at the DAFNE-L synchrotron radiation laboratory at Frascati. X-ray sensitivity spectra, linearity and stability of the response of these diamond devices have been measured in order to evidence the promising performance of such devices.     

A water-activated pump for portable microfluidic applications

An on-chip micropump for portable microfluidic applications was investigated using mathematical modeling and experimental testing. This micropump is activated by the addition of water, via a dropper, to ionic polymer particles that swell due to osmotic effects when wetted. The resulting particle volume increase deflects a membrane, forcing a separate fluid from an adjacent reservoir. The micropump components, along with the microfluidic components, are fabricated using the contact liquid photolithographic polymerization (CLiPP) method. The maximum flow rate achieved with this pump is 17 microL per minute per mg of dry polymer particles of 355-425 microm in diameter. The pump flow rate may be controlled by adjusting the particle size and amount, the membrane properties, and the channel dimensions. The experimental results demonstrate good agreement with an analytical model describing the particle swelling and its coupling with resistive forces from the bending membrane, viscous flow in the microchannel, and interfacial effects. Key features of this micropump are that it can be placed directly on a microdevice, and that it requires only a small amount of water and no external power supply to function. Therefore, this pumping system is useful for applications in which a highly portable device is required.     

Evaluation of energy efficiency fitting functions for HPGe detectors

Numerous and diverse mathematical methods have been used to model the full-energy photopeak (FEP) efficiency-to-energy relationship. All of the methods attempt to approximate this relationship using numerical analysis methods. Sophistication of the mathematics does not guarantee a meaningful and accurate determination of the physical relationships being modeled. This discrepancy stems from the fact that the data being modeled may suffer from spectral and nuclear effects which alter the counts in the full energy photopeak resulting from absorption and attenuation in the active volume of the diode, in the intervening materials between the detector diode and source, within the source itself, and in the shielding around the detector and source. Data must be free of these effects either as a result of acquiring the spectral data in geometries which minimize or eliminate these effects, or by pre-treatment of the net area counts to correct for these effects. If these corrections are not possible, then the choice of mathematical fitting method should be constrained to provide results which are consistent with physical-theoretical considerations of the energy-efficiency relationship being modeled. If possible, the method chosen should also provide a meaningful estimate of the uncertainty associated with the approximation of this function.     

Design of portable electrochemiluminescence sensing systems for point-of-care-testing applications

Point-of-care testing(POCT) technology is highly desirable for clinical diagnosis, healthcare monitoring,food safety inspection, and environment surveillance, because it enables rapid detection anywhere, anytime, and by anyone. Electrochemiluminescence(ECL) has been widely used in chemo-/bio analysis due to its advantages such as high sensitivity, simplicity, rapidity and easy to control, and is now attracting increasing attention for POCT applications. However, to realize the accurate on-site q...     

Study of silicon detectors for high resolution radioxenon measurements

Measurement of radioactive xenon in the atmosphere is one of several techniques to detect nuclear weapons testing, typically using either scintillator based coincidence beta/gamma detectors or germanium based gamma only detectors. Silicon detectors have a number of potential advantages over these detectors (high resolution, low background, sensitive to photons and electrons) and are explored in this work as a possible alternative. Using energy resolutions from measurements and detection efficiencies from simulations of characteristic electron and photon energies, the minimum detectable concentration for Xe isotopes was estimated for several possible detector geometries. Test coincidence spectra were acquired with a prototype detector.     

Towards a portable environment for FORTRAN applications on parallel computers

Summary This paper extends the communicating sequential process model of communications on multicomputers to a virtual machine interface with skeleton algorithms for global communication of data. The software is constructed using elements of object-oriented programming. Data is divided into two types of variables: those stored locally to each process and those accessible globally. Transfer of data between processes is implicit in the library structure, providing opportunities for optimisation.The application-level interface currently resembles a vector linear algebra library. Generic communication skeletons are defined for building libraries specific to applications; they illustrate more general programming issues. An example from a wave-scattering algorithm is given.     

A miniaturized high-voltage integrated power supply for portable microfluidic applications

In this work a portable microfluidic device with a reusable integrated high voltage power supply is presented, which allows for quick exchange of inexpensive disposable poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS) microfluidic chips on a carrier only slightly larger than a microscope slide. The device is powered by an onboard MN21 cell battery (5 mm radius, 30 mm long) and is demonstrated through the rapid and controlled transport of a fluorescent dye through an expansion chamber geometry. Power consumption experiments demonstrate the device's ability to complete over 40 dispense-flushing cycles on a single battery.     

Field applications of the Scout™ portable MCA

The use of Quantrad Sensor's Scout^TM in field type applications is described. The portability of the Scout^TM enables the user to obtain more accurate information in the field versus a survey meter. Isotopic identification is possible when ancillary information is combined with built-in software libraries. Data from the Scout^TM in remediation at Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC), NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Maerial) measurements in California's Central Valley oil fields, medical isotope identification at nuclear pharmaceutical company and emergency response applications are presented. Additionally, custom software enabled the use of the Scout^TM in identification, qualification and detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) in illicit trafficking and portal monitoring applications.     

Imaging applications for chemical analysis utilizing charge coupled device array detectors

Scientific charge transfer devices (CTDs) are rapidly becoming the detector of choice for optical chemical analysis. The high sensitivity and resolution of these detectors make them ideal for a wide range of chemical imaging applications. In this article we highlight some of the current trends and future research directions of CTDs as imaging detectors for chemical analysis.     

Feasibility of screening large aqueous samples for thermally unstable pesticides using high efficiency packed column supercritical fluid chromatography with multiple detectors

Summary Nearly 100 pesticides were eluted with good peak shapes from silica columns using methanol/carbon dioxide mobile phases. The pesticides included organophosphorus, organochlorine, phenylurea, sulfonylurea, triazine, carbamate and phenoxyacid pesticides, demonstrating the wide applicability of SFC to pesticide analysis. A subset of 31 pesticides were on-line extracted from large water samples, typically 10 to 20 ml, but up to 100 ml. The extracts were separated on a 1.6 meter long column packed with 5 μm particles, then detected simultaneously with a photodiode array UV detector plus an electron capture (ECD) and a nitrogen-phosphorus (NPD) detector. Recovery, reproducibility, linearity, response factors and detection limits were determined. Detection limits from a 5 ml water sample were in the range of 100 to 500 parts per trillion (1/10¹²). Larger samples appear capable of lowering these limits to below 10 ppt.     

Feasibility of screening large aqueous samples for thermally unstable pesticides using high efficiency packed column supercritical fluid chromatography with multiple detectors

Summary Nearly 100 pesticides were eluted with good peak shapes from silica columns using methanol/carbon dioxide mobile phases. The pesticides included organophosphorus, organochlorine, phenylurea, sulfonylurea, triazine, carbamate and phenoxyacid pesticides, demonstrating the wide applicability of SFC to pesticide analysis. A subset of 31 pesticides were on-line extracted from large water samples, typically 10 to 20 ml, but up to 100 ml. The extracts were separated on a 1.6 meter long column packed with 5 μm particles, then detected simultaneously with a photodiode array UV detector plus an electron capture (ECD) and a nitrogen-phosphorus (NPD) detector. Recovery, reproducibility, linearity, response factors and detection limits were determined. Detection limits from a 5 ml water sample were in the range of 100 to 500 parts per trillion (1/10¹²). Larger samples appear capable of lowering these limits to below 10 ppt.     

PIXE application for multi-element analysis of marine micro-algae and measurement of the concentration factor of zinc

Marine micro-algae (Nannochloropsis sp., Phaeodactylum sp., etc.) wereobtained from the Pacific Ocean off Iwate Prefecture, Japan, and culturedpurely in nutritive seawater, PES and artificial seawater, ASP7 as a culturesolution. The algae in 5 ml of the culture solution was collected on a polycarbonatefilm (pore size : 1.0 µm) by suction filtration. The algae on the filmwas subjected to PIXE analysis. A 2.9 MeV proton beam bombarded it at 50 nAfor 15 minutes. Induced X-ray was measured by Si(Li) detector. Concentrationsof Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Sr were determinedsimultaneously. PIXE can used for multi-element analysis of a sample below1 mg, so the culture size for algae was 10–250 ml and every apparatuswas small and of low cost. Nannochloropsis sp. was given a different culturesolution (PES) including Zn²⁺ from 0.050 to 1.0 mg/l and incubatedat 22 °C, 2000 lux for 10 hours. Zn in Nannochloropsis sp. increased inproportion to the Zn²⁺ concentration in the culture solution. Theconcentration factor was given as 1600 500 (dry weight base). It was shownthat PIXE was a powerful tool for multi-element analysis of micro organismsand the measurement of bioaccumulation.     

Total efficiency of gamma-ray detection by germanium semiconductor detectors

The total efficiency of γ-ray detection by Ge(Li) semiconductors is calculated for the energy range 0.1 to 10 MeV, for cylindrical detectors with radii from 0.25 cm to 2.5 cm and thicknesses from 0.1 cm to 1 cm, at distances between the source and detector ranging from 2 cm to 20 cm.     

An investigation into detector limitations using evaporative light-scattering detectors for pharmaceutical applications

Evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is an alternative technology to low-wavelength UV analysis that is often employed when compounds lack sufficient absorptivity. Although ELSD provides an additional detector option for liquid chromatographers, studies in our laboratory indicate analyte properties may adversely affect the ability to detect certain molecules. In this investigation, a series of low-molecular-weight compounds of pharmaceutical interest are evaluated with two commercially available ELSDs. It is observed that melting point is a useful analyte property to consider in optimizing ELSD detectors. The melting point of the analyte should be significantly higher than what the compound will experience in the nebulizer/evaporator chambers to achieve the best analyte response. It is found that some analytes could not be distinguished from the evaporated mobile phase background when ELSD temperatures exceed the melting point of the compound. Though useful for many applications and of particular interest for compounds that are weak chromophores, ELSD falls short of being a "universal detector" technology. In addition to boiling points of mobile phase components, scientists should also consider the melting point and volatility of the analyte(s) when optimizing ELSD response.