US4918315A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Neutron scatter method and apparatus for the noninvasive interrogation of objects
Assignee: PENETRON Inc ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN A CORP OF MI
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Filing: 1988-05-31
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Granted: 1990-04-17
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Expires: 2008-05-31
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for the inspection and/or search for concealed objects impinges a monoenergetic neutron beam upon an object, notes the energy distribution of the neutrons scattered from the object and correlates the energy/intensity distribution of the scattered neutrons with the presence or absence of particular elements. The invention may be utilized to obtain qualitative or quantitative data regarding the composition of the object under interrogation.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry J. Gomberg
- 👤 Marcus McEllistrem
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V5/00; G01V5/20; G01V5/22; G01V5/222; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/20; G01N23/203; G01N23/204; G01V5/224
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source having a neutron beam controller operative in cooperation therewith to sequentially provide two monoenergetic neutron beams of different energies and to sequentially impinge the beams of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beams so as to provide a first and a second group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of each of the groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies for each of the groups of scattered neutrons so as to provide an energy/intensity spectrum for each of the groups; (3) compare said spectra so as to determine the difference between the intensity of scattered neutrons of the first group at a first preselected energy indicative of the scattering of the first monoenergetic beam by a particular preselected element in said object and the intensity of scattered neutrons of the second group at a second preselected energy indicative of scattering of the second monoenergetic beam by said particular preselected element and (4) correlate said difference with the scattering contribution of said preselected element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source having a neutron beam controller operative in cooperation therewith to sequentially provide two monoenergetic neutron beams of different energies and to sequentially impinge the beams of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beams so as to provide a first and a second group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of each of the groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies for each of the groups of scattered neutrons so as to provide an energy/intensity spectrum for each of the groups; (3) compare said spectra so as to determine the difference between the intensity of scattered neutrons of the first group at a first preselected energy indicative of the scattering of the first monoenergetic beam by a particular preselected element in said object and the intensity of scattered neutrons of the second group at a second preselected energy indicative of scattering of the second monoenergetic beam by said particular preselected element and (4) correlate said difference with the scattering contribution of said preselected element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said neutron beam source is adapted to generate a monoenergetic beam of neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scattering energy of at least one of said at least one preselected elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said neutron beam source is adapted to generate a monoenergetic beam of neutrons having an energy chosen from the group consisting essentially of: 1.78 neutron MEV, 1.908 neutron MEV, and 2.078 neutron MEV.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said beam controller is operative to provide a first monoenergetic beam having an energy corresponding to a resonance energy of a preselected element and a second monoenergetic beam having an energy corresponding to a nonresonance value of that same preselected element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the scattering of the monoenergetic beams of neutrons by said at least one preselected element has an anisotropic component and wherein said detector is disposed so as to receive at least a portion of the anisotropically scattered neutrons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said detector is disposed so as to receive at least a portion of the neutrons backscattered by the object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said detector has associated therewith a shield for preventing all but backscattered neutrons from reaching it.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, further including: a beam scanner adapted to scan the monoenergetic neutron beam across a plurality of scan points on the object and wherein said detector is disposed so as to receive neutrons scattered from each of said plurality of scan point.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for the non-invasive inspection of an object to determine a presence of at least one preselected element therein, the method comprising: providing a beam of neutrons; controlling the energy of the neutron beam so as to sequentially provide two monoenergetic neutron beams of different energies; sequentially impinging said beams upon the object so as to provide two groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons; detecting at least a portion of each of said at least two groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons and providing a signal corresponding thereto; analyzing the detector output signal so as to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons of each said two groups as a function of their respective energies so as to provide an energy/intensity spectrum for each of the two groups; comparing said spectra so as to determine the difference between the intensity of scattered neutrons from the first group at a first preselected energy indicative of scattering of the first monoenergetic beam by a preselected element in the object and the intensity of scattered neutrons from the second group at a second preselected energy indicative of scattering of the second monoenergetic beam by the preselected element; and correlating said difference with the scattering contribution of the preselected element.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for the non-invasive inspection of an object to determine a presence of at least one preselected element therein, the method comprising: providing a beam of neutrons; controlling the energy of the neutron beam so as to sequentially provide two monoenergetic neutron beams of different energies; sequentially impinging said beams upon the object so as to provide two groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons; detecting at least a portion of each of said at least two groups of multienergetic scattered neutrons and providing a signal corresponding thereto; analyzing the detector output signal so as to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons of each said two groups as a function of their respective energies so as to provide an energy/intensity spectrum for each of the two groups; comparing said spectra so as to determine the difference between the intensity of scattered neutrons from the first group at a first preselected energy indicative of scattering of the first monoenergetic beam by a preselected element in the object and the intensity of scattered neutrons from the second group at a second preselected energy indicative of scattering of the second monoenergetic beam by the preselected element; and correlating said difference with the scattering contribution of the preselected element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of sequentially impinging beams of monoenergetic neutrons onto the object comprises directing a beam of neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scatter energy of at least one of said at least one preselected elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of controlling the energy of the neutron beams comprises controlling the energy so as to sequentially provide two different monoenergetic neutron beams, one of said beams having an energy corresponding to a resonant scatter energy of a preselected element and a second monoenergetic beam having an energy corresponding to a nonresonant scatter energy of that same preselected element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of detecting at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons comprises detecting at least a portion of the backscattered multienergetic neutrons.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of analyzing the detector output signal includes analyzing the pulse height of the scattered neutrons as a function of their energy.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of analyzing the detector output signal further comprises analyzing the time of flight of the scattered neutrons and correlating the pulse height with the time of flight so as to spatially resolve the composition of the object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source for generating a monoenergetic beam of neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scattering energy of at least one of said at least one preselected elements and impinging that beam of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and, an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and (3) measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at a preselected energy which is indicative of the scattering of said monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source for generating a monoenergetic beam of neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scattering energy of at least one of said at least one preselected elements and impinging that beam of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and, an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and (3) measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at a preselected energy which is indicative of the scattering of said monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source for generating a monoenergetic beam of neutrons and impinging that beam of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and (3) measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at a preselected energy which is indicative of the scattering of said monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for the noninvasive inspection of an object to determine the presence of at least one preselected element therein, said apparatus comprising: a neutron beam source for generating a monoenergetic beam of neutrons and impinging that beam of neutrons upon the object whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic, scattered neutrons; a detector disposed to receive at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and operative to provide a signal corresponding thereto; and an analyzer in communication with the detector and operative to: (1) receive the detector output signal, (2) analyze said signal to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and (3) measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at a preselected energy which is indicative of the scattering of said monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said object includes at least two preselected elements and wherein the analyzer is operative to measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at two preselected energies, a first energy indicative of the scattering of the monoenergetic beam by a first preselected element and the second energy indicative of scattering of the beam by a second preselected element; said analyzer further operative to correlate the intensity at said first and second preselected energies with the relative amounts of said first and second element present.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the neutron beam source is operative to generate a monoenergetic pulse of neutrons and the analyzer is operative to measure the time of flight in which the scattered neutrons travel from the object to the detector, said time being inversely proportional to the square root of the energy of the neutrons, and to correlate said time of flight with the energy of the scattered neutrons.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said object includes at least two preselected elements therein and wherein said analyzer is further adapted to measure the intensity of scattered neutrons at at least two preselected energies each energy indicative of the scattering of the monoenergetic beam by one of said at least two preselected elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 19 , wherein said analyzer is further adapted to determine the relative ratios of said at least two preselected elements.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
101 words
An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said neutron beam source includes: a proton source adapted to provide a beam of protons having preselected energies; a target disposed in the path of said proton beam for emitting neutrons when bombarded thereby; and a collimator disposed between the target and the object, said collimator comprising a neutron shield having an aperture therein; and a neutron beam energy controller in communication with the proton source and operative in conjunction therewith to control the energy of said protons whereby the energy of the neutrons produced by the bombardment of the target is also controlled.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said target is fabricated from a material containing an element chosen from the group consisting essentially of: lithium, carbon, oxygen, deuterium, tritium, helium and combinations thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the neutron beam source is operative to (1) generate a short pulse of neutrons and (2) communicate with the detector so as to synchronize the operation of the detector with the generation of the short pulse of neutrons whereby the detector is adapted to only sense neutrons scattered from the short pulse.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said analyzer is further operative to analyze the pulse height of scattered neutrons as a function of their energy.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said analyzer is further adapted to analyze the time of flight of the scattered neutrons and correlate the pulse height with the time of flight so as to spatially resolve the composition of the object.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for the non-invasive inspection of an object to determine a presence of at least one preselected element therein, the method comprising: directing a beam of monoenergetic neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scatter energy of at least one of said at least one preselected element onto the object, whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic scattered neutrons; detecting at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and providing a signal corresponding thereto; and analyzing the detector output signal so as to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and to measure the intensity of the scattered neutrons at a particular preselected energy, which energy is indicative of scattering of the monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for the non-invasive inspection of an object to determine a presence of at least one preselected element therein, the method comprising: directing a beam of monoenergetic neutrons having an energy corresponding to the neutron resonant scatter energy of at least one of said at least one preselected element onto the object, whereby said object scatters the beam so as to provide a group of multienergetic scattered neutrons; detecting at least a portion of the group of multienergetic scattered neutrons and providing a signal corresponding thereto; and analyzing the detector output signal so as to determine the intensity of the scattered neutrons as a function of their respective energies and to measure the intensity of the scattered neutrons at a particular preselected energy, which energy is indicative of scattering of the monoenergetic beam by one of said at least one preselected element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-16 | 1993-10-16 | 1994-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-16 | 1997-10-16 | 1998-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-16 | 2001-10-16 | 2002-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |