112 results about "Beta particle" patented technology

An intraoperative probe system for preferentially detecting beta radiation over gamma radiation emitted from a radiopharmaceutical is described. In one embodiment, the probe system of the present invention is a probe having an ion-implanted silicon charged-particle detector for generating an electrical signal in response to received beta particles. In such an embodiment, a preamplifier may be located in close proximity to the detector filters and amplifies the electrical signal. Furthermore, a wire may be used to couple the probe to a processing unit for amplifying and filtering the electrical signal, and a counter may be utilized to analyze the resulting electrical signal to determine the number of beta particles being received by the detector. Alternatively, the wire can be replaced with an infrared or radio transmitter and receiver for wireless operation of the probe.

The present invention is a power cell for directly converting ionizing radiation into electrical energy. The invented isotopic electric converter provides an electrical power source that includes an electronegative material layered in a semiconductor, to form a first region that has a high density of conduction electrons, and an electropositive material also layered in the semiconductor material to form a second region with a high density of holes. Said N-layers region and P-layers region are separated by a neutral zone of semiconductor material doped with a radioactive isotope, such as, but not limited to, tritium. No junction is formed between the N and P layers regions. Rather, the potential gradient across the neutral zone is provided by the difference between the work functions of the electronegative and electropositive electrodes. Electrical contacts are affixed to the respective regions of the first and second type conductivity which become the anode and cathode of the cell, respectively. Beta particles emitted by the tritium generate electron-hole pairs within the neutral zone, which are swept away by the potential gradient between the first and second regions, thereby producing an electric current.

An intraoperative probe system for preferentially detecting beta radiation over gamma radiation emitted from a radiopharmaceutical is described. In one embodiment, the probe system of the present invention is a probe having an ion-implanted silicon charged-particle detector for generating an electrical signal in response to received beta particles. In such an embodiment, a preamplifier may be located in close proximity to the detector filters and amplifies the electrical signal. Furthermore, a wire may be used to couple the probe to a processing unit for amplifying and filtering the electrical signal, and a counter may be utilized to analyze the resulting electrical signal to determine the number of beta particles being received by the detector. Alternatively, the wire can be replaced with an infrared or radio transmitter and receiver for wireless operation of the probe.

An apparatus, method, and system relating to radiation detection of low-energy beta particles are disclosed. An embodiment a radiation detector with a first scintillator and a second scintillator operably coupled to each other. The first scintillator and the second scintillator are each structured to generate a light pulse responsive to interaction with beta particles. The first scintillator is structured to experience full energy deposition of low-energy beta particles, and permit a higher-energy beta particle to pass therethrough and interact with the second scintillator. The radiation detector further includes a light-to-electrical converter operably coupled to the second scintillator and configured to convert light pulses generated by the first scintillator and the second scintillator into electrical signals. The first scintillator and the second scintillator have at least one mutually different characteristic to enable an electronic system to determine whether a given light pulse is generated in the first scintillator or the second scintillator.

A multilayer device for producing electricity. The device comprising a betavoltaic source layer for generating beta particles, and at least three semiconductor layers each having a bandgap substantially similar to a band gap of the other layers, the at least three layers comprising a doped top layer, an undoped intermediate layer and a doped bottom layer, wherein the top and the bottom layers are doped with opposite-type dopants, and wherein the top layer is closer to the betavoltaic source layer than the bottom layer.

We introduce a new technology for Manufacturable, High Power Density, High Volume Utilization Nuclear Batteries. Betavoltaic batteries are an excellent choice for battery applications which require long life, high power density, or the ability to operate in harsh environments. In order to optimize the performance of betavoltaic batteries for these applications or any other application, it is desirable to maximize the efficiency of beta particle energy conversion into power, while at the same time increasing the power density of an overall device. The small (submicron) thickness of the active volume of both the isotope layer and the semiconductor device is due to the short absorption length of beta electrons. The absorption length determines the self absorption of the beta particles in the radioisotope layer as well as the range, or travel distance, of the betas in the semiconductor converter which is typically a semiconductor device comprising at least one PN junction. Various devices and methods to solve the current industry problems and limitations are presented here.

A betavoltaic battery having layers of fissile radioisotopes 8, moderating material 7, beta-decaying radioisotopes 6, and semiconductor diode 4&5 adjacently stacked one above another, is proposed. Neutrons produced by the chain reaction in the fissile radioisotope 8 are slowed down by the moderating material 7 before penetrating into the layer of beta-decaying radioisotope 6 to cause fission. Beta particles produced from the fission of beta-decaying radioisotopes 6 create electron-hole pairs in the semiconductor diode 4&5. Electrons and holes accumulate at the cathode 9 and anode 2 respectively, producing an electromotive force. Because beta particles are produced from neutron-induced fission, instead of from beta decay, this betavoltaic battery is able to generate substantially more power than conventional betavoltaic batteries.

By measuring ultralow moisture permeation through a barrier material sample at a temperature substantially above ambient, definitive values are produced on an accelerated basis that can be used to accurately predict long term daily performance of that barrier material. The sample is heated to a desired test temperature where there is controlled access to both its upstream and downstream surfaces, and HTO vapor is then supplied at predetermined relative humidity to the upstream surface by fracturing a glass ampoule containing not more than 10 millicuries of specific radioactivity for each test. Radioactive gas permeating from the downstream surface is collected by circulating a very slow flow of dry carrier gas past the downstream surface, which stream flows to an ionization chamber containing a beta-particle radiation monitor. Continuous monitoring generates signals that are converted to calculate instantaneous permeation rates through the sample, and operation at such elevated temperature is carried out until the values being monitored reach a steady state, allowing accurate prediction of the extent of long term barrier protection against moisture permeation the sample will exhibit.

We introduce a new technology for Manufactureable, High Power Density, High Volume Utilization Nuclear Batteries. Betavoltaic batteries are an excellent choice for battery applications which require long life, high power density, or the ability to operate in harsh environments. In order to optimize the performance of betavoltaic batteries for these applications or any other application, it is desirable to maximize the efficiency of beta particle energy conversion into power, while at the same time increasing the power density of an overall device. The small (submicron) thickness of the active volume of both the isotope layer and the semiconductor device is due to the short absorption length of beta electrons. The absorption length determines the self absorption of the beta particles in the radioisotope layer as well as the range, or travel distance, of the betas in the semiconductor converter which is typically a semiconductor device comprising at least one PN junction. Various devices and methods to solve the current industry problems and limitations are presented here.

The invention relates to the field of drug development against acute radiation injury caused by exposure to high-energy electromagnetic waves (X-rays, gamma rays) or particles (alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons). To date, there is no effective drug to ameliorate radiation injury after accidental exposure to ionizing irradiation. The invention provides a method of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids. Furthermore, the invention provides use of a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a subject suffering from or believed to be suffering from radiation injury. In particular, the invention provides anti-radiation peptides having a dose reduction factor (DRF) against acute gamma irradiation of at least 1.10, said DRF determinable by testing which dose of radiation results in 50% mortality at 30 days (LD50 / 30) after whole body radiation (WBI) in a test group of mice treated with said peptide at 72 hours after WBI and, testing which dose of radiation results in 50% mortality at 30 days (LD50 / 30) after whole body radiation (WBI) in a control group of mice treated only with the vehicle of said peptide at 72 hours after WBI and wherein the DRF is calculated by dividing the LD50 / 30 of the peptide-treated animals by the LD50 / 30 of the vehicle-treated animals.

Compositions and methods are described for transparent glass composite having nanoparticles therein that scintillate in the presence of nuclear radiation, particularly gamma rays, but also x-rays, alpha particles, beta particles, and neutrons. The transparent glass composites can be prepared by a melt / cool process to produce the transparent glass composite. The wavelength of light emitted by the transparent glass composite can be tailored based on the materials used to make the glass composite. A detector that utilizes the transparent glass composite can measure nuclear radiation from numerous sources.

A nuclear powered quantum dot light source, having a holder having at least a portion that is a radiolucent and a mixture of quantum dots, a radionuclide, and a radiolucent binder material into which the quantum dots and radionuclide are located. Alpha and / or beta particles from the radionuclide energize the quantum dots and cause them to give off light at one or more predetermined wavelengths.

The invention provides an apparatus and method for measuring a property of a gas, such as the amount of liquid in a stream of the gas. The apparatus comprises a source of beta particles (20), a detector (23) capable of detecting beta particles, means (18) to support said source and said detector spaced apart from each other such that gas may enter the space between the source and detector and that the source is positioned to emit beta particles towards said detector; wherein said detector comprises a scintillation material in optical communication with a photodetector (26), and means (24) to physically isolate said photodetector from said gas.

The invention relates to a discriminating method for alpha and beta particle pulses measured by an alpha and beta surface contamination instrument. The method comprises the steps of amplifying pulse signals generated by a photoelectric detector through a signal amplifier to form pulse signals for discrimination and record; converting the analog pulse signals into digital signals and sending digital signal pulses into a single-chip microcomputer directly; recording the time information of input of the digital signal pulses through the single-chip microcomputer and calculating the pulse width; comparing the calculated input pulse width and the width range of the alpha and beta particle pulses set in the single-chip microcomputer in advance to realize the discriminating of the alpha and beta pulses. With simple circuit design, the alpha and beta pulse discriminating method realizes the alpha and beta pulse discriminating and thus increases the alpha and beta particle discriminating efficiency.

An apparatus, method, and system relating to radiation detection of low-energy beta particles are disclosed. An embodiment includes a radiation detector with a first scintillator and a second scintillator operably coupled to each other. The first scintillator and the second scintillator are each structured to generate a light pulse responsive to interaction with beta particles. The first scintillator is structured to experience full energy deposition of low-energy beta particles, and permit a higher-energy beta particle to pass therethrough and interact with the second scintillator. The radiation detector further includes a light-to-electrical converter operably coupled to the second scintillator and configured to convert light pulses generated by the first scintillator and the second scintillator into electrical signals. The first scintillator and the second scintillator have at least one mutually different characteristic to enable an electronic system to determine whether a given light pulse is generated in the first scintillator or the second scintillator.

A method of characterizing a tissue sample is provided that includes injecting a tissue sample with radiotracers, where the radiotracers include beta-emitter radio tracers, the beta-emitter radio tracers emit beta particles according to a decay of the beta-emitter radio tracers, and measuring the beta particles or Cherenkov radiation from the beta particles in the tissue sample, and determining a condition of the radio tracers in the tissue sample according to the measured beta particles or the measured Cherenkov radiation, where the determined condition includes a depth and / or a concentration of the radiotracers in the tissue sample.

A system, method and device for treating tumor cells utilizing a resorbable therapy seed made up of microspheres containing a beta-particle-emitting radiation source and a resorbable polymer matrix. These seeds are implanted within the tumor and then rapidly dissolved or broken so as to release the microspheres. These microspheres then spread within a preselected target area and provide radiation therapy in a predetermined amount and at a preselected rate according the specific needs and necessities of the users. The configuration of the microspheres, the types of radiation provided and the location and use of these microspheres provides desired localized treatment to target cells while preferentially avoiding undesired damage to surrounding tissue. The present invention provides a method for making the seeds, as well as a method for utilizing the seeds as a part of the treatment method.

The invention discloses a method for measuring total alpha and total beta radioactivity in soil, comprising steps of preparing a sample source and measuring the sample source. The sample source preparation comprises steps of taking a proper amount of drying soil sample, breaking, sieving and heating until a constant weight is achieved, grinding the sample, further obtaining uniform power through further sieving, weighing proper amount of powder, adding waterless ethanol, evenly spreading and drying. The sample source measurement comprises steps of measuring radioactivity background, putting the sample source obtained from the step 1 into a low background alpha / beta measurement instrument and calculating the radioactivity of the total alpha and total beta in the soil through a formula. Compared with the prior art, the measurement method is fast and simple. In the meantime, the radioactivity of the total alpha and the total beta is different from the radioactivity total of the radionuclide and is the respective measurement result under the condition of pretending that the counting efficiency on the alpha particles or the beta particles by the instrument is identical, and the detection limit reaches alpha:400Bq / kg, Beta:200Bq / kg.

A device for producing electricity. In one embodiment, the device comprises a doped germanium or a doped GaAs substrate and a plurality of stacked material layers (some of which are doped) above the substrate. These stacked material layers, which capture the beta particles and generate electrical current, may include, in various embodiments, GaAs, InAlP, InGaP, InAlGaP, AlGaAs, and other semiconductor materials. A beta particle source generates beta particles that impinge the stack, create electron-hole pairs, and thereby generate electrical current. In another embodiment the device comprises a plurality of epi-liftoff layers and a backing support material.

The invention discloses a sandwiched parallel connection type epitaxy GaN PIN type beta irradiation battery and a preparation method thereof. At present, a nuclear battery has problems of low energy transformation ratio and low output power, and the invention is mainly used to solve the problems. The sandwiched parallel connection type epitaxy GaN PIN type beta irradiation battery of the invention comprises an upper PIN junction and a lower PIN junction which are connected in parallel and a beta radiation source layer. The lower PIN junction comprised a P-type ohmic contact electrode, a P-type highly-doped GaN epitaxial layer, an N-type highly-doped 4H-SiC substrate, an N-type lightly-doped SiC epitaxial layer and an N-type ohmic contact electrode from top to bottom successively. The structure distribution of the upper PIN junction from down to up is the same as the structure distribution of the lower PIN junction from top to bottom. The beta radiation source layer is sandwiched between the P-type ohmic contact electrodes of the upper PIN junction and the lower PIN junction so as to realize the full utilization of high-energy beta particles. According to the invention, advantages of large radiation source and semiconductor contact area, high nuclear raw material utilization rate and energy collection rate and large battery output voltage can be realized, and the battery can be used to supply power to a small circuit in a lasting manner or supply power in occasions, such as polar regions, desert, etc.

The invention relates to a method for measuring radioactive surface pollution. The method at least comprises the following steps: testing response characteristics of an alpha channel and a beta channel when alpha and beta particles simultaneously exist in a radiation detection device by using a plurality of first standard sources comprising typical nuclides; providing a second standard source of pure alpha particles to determine the response of the alpha particles in the beta channel of the radiation detection device, thereby pre-determining the response coefficient of the beta channel of theradiation detection device to the incident alpha particles; providing a second standard source of pure beta particles to determine the response of the beta particles in the beta channel of the radiation detection device, thereby pre-determining the response coefficient of the beta channel of the radiation detection device to the incident beta particles; dividing the alpha channel response coefficient by the alpha channel counting rate to obtain alpha surface pollution; deducting the alpha particle counting rate by the beta channel counting rate, multiplying the alpha particle counting rate bythe optimized response coefficient of the beta channel to the alpha particles, and dividing by the beta particle response to obtain the beta surface pollution.

A betavoltaic power source. The power source comprises a source of beta particles, one or more regions for collecting the beta particles and for generating electron hole pairs responsive thereto, and a secondary power source charged by a current developed by the electron hole pairs.

The present disclosure is directed to a nuclear thermionic avalanche cell (NTAC) systems and related methods of generating energy comprising a radioisotope core, a plurality of thin-layered radioisotope sources configured to emit high energy beta particles and high energy photons, and a plurality of NTAC layers integrated with the radioisotope core and the radioisotope sources, wherein the plurality of NTAC layers are configured to receive the beta particles and the photons from the radioisotope core and sources, and by the received beta particles and photons, free up electrons in an avalanche process from deep and intra bands of an atom to output a high density avalanche cell thermal energy through a photo-ionic or thermionic process of the freed up electrons.

The Cherenkov effect is used to detect neutrons emitted by man-made radioactive materials. Water or other liquid or gas may be used as a detection medium. The water may include a dispersed or dissolved dopant having a high neutron capture cross-section, which renders the dopant able to absorb and react with neutron radiation effectively. When the dopant absorbs, or reacts with, a neutron particle, the result of the reaction may be the generation of beta particles which can be detected via the accompanying emission of light, dispersed or dissolved, according to the Cherenkov effect.

A radioisotope-powered energy source comprising: a flexible center substrate coated with the radioisotope, wherein the substrate comprises upper and lower surfaces; and two substantially identical sequences of layers bonded to each other and to the upper and lower surfaces via electrically insulating mesh barriers, wherein each sequence comprises the following layers bonded together in a y-direction in the following order: a first low-density alpha particle impact layer, a first high-density beta particle impact layer, a second low-density alpha particle impact layer, a second radioisotope-coated substrate, a third low-density alpha particle impact layer, a second high-density beta particle impact layer, and a photovoltaic layer.

A method is provided that increases fracture toughness and reduces brittleness of a semi-crystalline ferroelectric polymer material while substantially maintaining ferroelectric properties of the material. The material is heated in an inert oxygen-free atmosphere to a temperature above the material's Curie transition but below its melting temperature. The material is then irradiated with beta particles to provide a desired level of fracture toughness that substantially maintains ferroelectric properties of the material. In the case of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene), the heating temperature is just above the material's Curie transition temperature, the beta particles have an energy level of approximately 2.5 mega electron volts (MeV), and the radiation dose should not exceed approximately 50 megarads (Mrads).

The invention discloses an organic-inorganic perovskite scintillator used for nuclear radiation detection and a preparation method thereof. The method comprises the following steps: performing an ice-water bath mixed reaction on methylamine ethanol solution and haloid acid to obtain methyl amine halide solution, performing rotary evaporation on the methyl amine halide solution, then purifying themethyl amine halide solution and putting the purified methyl amine halide solution into a 60-DEG C vacuum drying oven for drying, so as to obtain methyl amine halide powder; adding the prepared methylamine halide powder and lead halide powder into mixed solution of DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide) and N,N-DMF (dimethylformamide), performing a sufficient reaction and filtering obtained solution; preparinga large-sized organic-inorganic hydrid perovskite monocrystal in 65-120-DEG C solution with a temperature inversion crystallization method in supersaturated solution. The preparation method can be used for preparing the large-sized I-doped perovskite crystal required by detection of radiation fields (alpha particles, beta particles, X particles, neutrons and the like); a nuclear radiation detector comprising the prepared I-doped perovskite scintillator has the characteristics of being high in response speed, high in photoyield, high in spatial resolution and high in energy resolution.

A device for producing electricity. In one embodiment the device comprises a germanium substrate doped a first dopant type and a plurality of stacked material layers above the substrate. These stacked material layers further comprise an InGaP base layer doped the first dopant type, an InGaP emitter layer doped the second dopant type, a window layer having a lattice structure matched to the lattice structure of the emitter layer and doped the second dopant type and a beta particle source for generating beta particles.

The invention relates to a method and a device for continuous online monitoring of alpha and beta radioactivity in fluid. The device comprises a fluid early treatment device having a device fluid inlet, a sampler, a particle filter, a gamma probe and a pressure flow regulator. An output end of the fluid early treatment device is connected with input ends (detector fluid inlets) of alpha and beta detectors. In each of the alpha and beta detectors, one output end (detector fluid outlet) is connected to a device fluid outlet and the other output end (plexiglass window) is connected to a signal processing unit via a photomultiplier tube. An output end of the signal processing unit is connected to a field display processing unit. The present invention reduces the distance between a radioactive material and a scintillator, so that most of the energy of alpha and beta particles are deposited in the scintillator to excite the scintillator to emit light. In addition, the sensitive area measured is greatly increased, the detection efficiency is improved and the light transmission efficiency is significantly improved.

A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.