General Description
Identification of known and unknown radio-isotopes for environmental, security and anti-terrorism activities. Identify multiple nuclear isotopes, shielded nuclear isotopes, highly enriched uranium and weapons grade Pu.
Technical Description
Scintillator or solid state detectors coupled with collector electronics and a multi-channel analyzer. Fast microprocessors (released in 2009) allow peak and template matching with full background and compton subtraction. Identification is then achievable at levels 100X below background radiation (ambient levels).
Evaluation Criteria
THROUGHPUT:
- 2 minutes or less for detection
- Multiple samples, multiple tests/sample per run
- Greater than 750 samples every 2 hours
- The system or device is currently fully automated
- Device or system is intended for multiple detection assays
- 0-1 solutions, buffer, eluents, and/or reagents
- 1 component
- Less than 5 minutes is required for set-up
- 1-2 steps are required for detection
LOGISTICS:
- Very brief (minutes-hours) training and minimal technical skills
- Approximately the size of a toaster
- Between 1 and 5 kg
- System or device uses batteries
- 4-8 hours battery life
OPERATIONS:
- Can be used from < -21°C to > 42°C (All temperatures)
- Performance is not influenced by relative humidity
- Greater than 3 years shelf life
- Greater than 10 years expected life
- Results can be viewed in real-time
- The system or device is currently fully autonomous
- The system software is open but modification requires licensing
- The system hardware is open but modification requires licensing
DETECTION:
- Less than 10 µL
- Superior specificity. System has a false alarm rate approaching zero (~0%)
- Total dose, dose rate and count rate with simultaneous display readout and automatic differentiation between types of radiation detected
- Down to background level radiation for dose rate
- Down to background level radiation for count rate
- System is used for surveying