Design and implementation of an array of micro-electrochemical detectors for two-dimensional liquid chromatography—Proof of principle

Simultaneous two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) is an implementation of two-dimensional liquid chromatography which has the potential to provide very fast, yet highly efficient separations. It is based on the use of time × space and space × space separation systems. The basic principle of this instrument has been validated long ago by the success of two-dimensional thin layer chromatography. The construction of a pressurized wide and flat column (100 mm × 100 mm × 1 mm) operated under an inlet pressure of up to 50 bar was described previously. However, to become a modern analytical method, simultaneous 2D-LC requires the development of detectors suitable for the monitoring of the composition of the eluent of this pressurized planar, wide column. An array of five equidistant micro-electrochemical sensors was built for this purpose and tested. Each sensor is a three-electrode system, with the working electrode being a 25 μm polished platinum micro-electrode. The auxiliary electrode is a thin platinum wire and the reference electrode an Ag/AgCl (3 M sat. KCl) electrode. In this first implementation, proof of principle is demonstrated, but the final instrument will require a much larger array.     

Use of phosphate glass detectors for study of curium-242 cluster radioactivity

The effect α particle fluences (3 × 10³−2 × 10¹⁵ cm ⁻²) on properties of the two types of phosphate glass detectors with different compositions was studied. It was shown that the registration properties of glass detectors depended on the α particle fluence, spatial distribution of the α particle paths, and glass type. The critical α particle fluences, above which the detector properties changed, were determined.     

Particle detection properties of charge coupled devices

A detailed quantitative analysis of particle events observed in Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) requires the knowledge of particle detection properties of the employed CCDs such as the detection threshold for energy deposition, efficiency for different kinds of radiation and the relation between the signal and the deposited energy inside the sensitive volume. For this purpose the CCD-chip was described by a simple geometrical model containing the effective thicknesses of the p-n semiconductor junctions dj and a covering dead layer d_T above them as parameters. The corresponding geometrical quantities were experimentally estimated to be 1.3 μm and 0.9 μm respectively by using different kinds of radiation.     

Monte Carlo simulation of GM probe and NaI detector efficiency for surface activity measurements

This paper deals with the direct measurement of total (fixed plus removable) surface activity in the presence of interfering radiation fields. Two methods based on Monte Carlo simulations are used: one for a Geiger–Muller (GM) ionisation probe and the other for sodium iodide (NaI) detector with lead collimators; equations for the most general case and the geometry models for Monte Carlo simulation of both (GM and NaI) detectors are employed. Finally, an example of application is discussed.     

Non-contact charge temperature measurement on industrial continuous furnaces and steel charge emissivity analysis

Continuous furnaces are commonly used for steel billet reheating before a rolling operation. It is necessary to perform a number of measurements to set-up and operate the optimization system of the furnaces correctly. A charge temperature measurement using infrared detectors can be one of the usable measurement techniques. This non-contact measurement method is based on the detection of infrared radiation emitted from a measured surface. The radiation intensity depends on the surface temperature and emissivity, which is one of the most important parameters for infrared measurements. Advantages of the non-contact temperature measurement, as well as some problems regarding the surface emissivity, are presented. The direct steel billet temperature measurement procedure using infra-red detectors, emissivity determination procedures, and example results are introduced. It is shown that steel emissivity can vary from approx. 0.17 to 0.8, depending on the surface state, scale formation, and wavelength interval. These problems are critical for the charge temperature measurement using the infra-red detectors, and are discussed in this paper.     

Comparison of responses of LR-115A, CR-39 and PM-355 track detectors to pulsed low-energy proton streams

The paper concerns applications of LR-115A, CR-39 and PM-355 solid-state nuclear-track detectors (SSNTDs) for investigation of pulsed fluxes of protons below 300 keV. The proton streams were generated by the RPI-IBIS device operated with hydrogen puffing [Baranowski et al. 2000. Studies of hydrogen discharges in RPI-type devices with different electrode configurations. Czech. J. Phys. 50 (Suppl. S3), 101–107]. To perform ion mass- and energy-analysis, a Thomson mass-spectrometer equipped with a special input system and exchangeable detectors was used. A quantitative analysis of proton tracks upon Thomson parabolas was performed by means of an optical microscope equipped with a CCD camera. It made possible to measure proton tracks and to determine their statistics. The paper presents proton energy spectra recorded with the selected detectors, and responses of these detectors to protons of energy from about 30 to 300 keV. The results are important for verification of detector characteristics and for measurements of protons at different experimental conditions.     

Two-dimensional position sensitive neutron detector

Pramana - A two-dimensional position sensitive neutron detector has been developed. The detector is a3He + Kr filled multiwire proportional counter with charge division position readout and has a...     

Numerical analysis of three-colour HgCdTe detectors

The performance of three-colour HgCdTe photovoltaic heterostructure detector is examined theoretically. In comparison with two-colour detectors with two back-to-back junctions, three-colour structure contains an absorber of intermediate wavelength placed between two junctions and electronic barriers are used to isolate this intermediate region. This structure was first proposed by British workers. Three-detector structures with different localizations of separating barriers are analyzed. The calculation results are presented in the form of spatial distributions of bandgap energy and quantum efficiency. Enhanced original computer programs are applied to solve the system of non-linear continuity equations for carriers and Poisson equations. In addition, the numerical analysis includes the dependence of absorption coefficient on Burstein effect as well as interference effects in heterostructure with metallic electrical contacts. It is shown that the performance of the detector is critically dependent on the barrier’s doping level and position in relation to the junction. This behaviour is serious disadvantage of the considered three-colour detector. A small shift of the barrier location and doping level causes serious changes in spectral responsivity.     

Fissile radionuclides in thyroid of the inhabitants of the gomel region in belarus and peculiarities of their distribution

Severe radiation damages with the following substitution of connective tissue are the effect of high doses in microvolumes of the thyroid. Calcium, strontium and uranium deposited into these sections was more as compared to a normal tissue of the thyroid. An estimation of the microdistribution of fissile radionuclides was carried out using the method of fragmental radiography. The analysis of tracks done visually using a microscope magnification of 300 revealed the local density of fission fragments up to 10³ mm⁻². The irradiation of the surrounded cells which contain the hidden genetic damages, initiated by radioiodine, does not exclude their possible promoter role in thyroid cancerogenesis.