Physical Science » Sensors » Particle & Radiation
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Portable Instrument for Monitoring of Aerosol Acidity
2018-466 – Air pollution, specifically aerosols, is a major contributor to climate change and a detriment to overall human health. Aerosol acidity levels are vitally important for understanding atmospheric aerosol dynamics and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, but the ability to monitor changes in acidity has remained largely elusive. Current technologies rely on modeling, estimation, or... Read More
A Photodetector Consisting of Multiple Thin-Film Layers
5687 – A Photodetector is a device that senses electromagnetic radiation, e.g., visible light, and generates instrument-readable electric signals. These devices have applications as sensors in aerospace/defense, oil and gas, utilities, construction, chemical industries, and the market for these devices was $292M in 2014 [1]. Key performance metrics for photodetectors are their responsivity, or the... Read More
High-Efficiency Neutron Detectors and Method of Making Same
2561 – UM File # 2561 Background Semiconductor detectors coated with neutron reactive materials offer an alternative approach to scintillator-based neutron imaging devices for neutron radiography (normally scintillating screens coupled to photographic film or to other photorecording devices). The detectors also offer an alternative to He-3 proportional counters, BF3 proportional counters, Li-loaded... Read More
Resonant Proppant and Interrogation Antenna for Hydraulic Fracture Mapping
6003 – A research team has developed a mapping system for monitoring hydraulic fractures in oilfield applications where accurate characterization can increase extraction efficiency and yields. The research team’s distributed sensor system is designed to withstand the high temperatures and pressures associated with hydraulic fracturing and the interrogation antenna has been optimized for conventional... Read More
Uncooled, Highly Sensitive Bowtie Nano-antenna Embedded IR Detector
5934 – Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed an uncooled, highly sensitive infrared (IR) detector with an embedded bowtie nano-antenna. The performance of conventional IR detectors is limited by thermal noise. The sensitivity of these detectors is commonly improved by cooling them (cryogenic detectors). However, cooling of IR detectors entails high space and power requirements... Read More
Integrating Dosimeters for Homeland Security, Environmental, and Retrospective Dosimetry
2440-3 – Real-time radiation detection measurement methods are critical in situations where interception of these devices prior to a planned detonation or release of radioactive materials takes place as well as in the cargo screening areas and deployment of large radiation detection networks are highly desirable. University of Michigan researchers have developed a method for determining the... Read More
Geometrically Weighted Semiconductor or Solid State Frisch Grid Radiation Detectors
0950p1 – A high-resolution ionization detector and an array of such detectors are described which utilize a reference pattern of conductive or semiconductive material to form interaction, pervious and measurement regions in an ionization substrate of, for example, CdZnTe material. The ionization detector is a room temperature semiconductor radiation detector. Various geometries of such a detector... Read More
Neutron Irradiative Methods and Systems
2959 – There has been an increasing need to permit the quick, non-invasive, non-destructive analysis of the chemical compositions of materials, especially when such materials are concealed, such as illicit materials or explosives, or otherwise spaced a considerable distance from the detection system, such as to improve personnel safety in the event of an explosion. Thermal neutron activation... Read More
Combined Radiation Detector for Neutron Detection and Discrimination
2250 – The material requirements for a room temperature-operated, high resolution semiconductor gamma ray spectrometer include large free charge carrier mobilities or alternatively, high achievable free charge carrier velocities, long mean free drift times, a relatively large energy band gap, high representative values of atomic number, and availability in large volumes. Presently, no... Read More
Collimated Radiation Detector Assembly Array of Collimated Radiation Detectors And Collimated Radiation Detector Module
2159 – The material requirements for a room temperature operated high resolution semiconductor gamma ray spectrometer include large free charge carrier mobilities, or alternatively, high achievable free charge carrier velocities, long mean free drift times, a relatively large energy band gap, high representative values of atomic number, and availability of large volumes. Presently, no... Read More
Louvered Area Detector for Radiation Spectrometers
1668-1 – UM File # 1668.1 Background In situ gamma-ray spectrometry determines the quantities of radionuclides in some source medium with a portable detector. The more established method of laboratory gamma-ray spectroscopy consists of taking small samples of the medium into the laboratory for gamma-ray analysis. In situ gamma-ray spectrometry characterizes a larger volume of material, requires less... Read More