Fibres detect ionising radiation

17 Jun 2002

Environmental monitoring, quality control in cancer treatment and detecting stolen nuclear weapons are some applications that researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the US predict for their optical fibre sensors.

The portable, neutron and gamma ray sensors are based on scintillating fibres that are less sensitive to vibration than conventional gas tube sensors. Optical fibre technology integrates with high-speed electronics and gives the detectors an improved dynamic range.

Ionising radiation interacts with the scintillating fibres to produce light. At the end of the fibre, the light is converted into an electrical signal that corresponds to either a neutron or gamma ray interaction.

The technology was licensed to Tennelec Nucleus in 1998 and this company was sold to Canberra Industries earlier this year.

SH