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Signal Processing for Energy and Position Measurement in Gamma-ray Detector Arrays

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG03-97ER82510
Agency Tracking Number: 37340
Amount: $75,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1997
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2513 Charleston Road Suite 207
Mountain V, CA 94043
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr. Bradley H. Hubbard-Ne
 Scientist/Engineer
 (415) 903-9980
Business Contact
 Dr. William K. Warburton
Title: President
Phone: (415) 903-9980
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

139

Signal Processing for Energy and Position Measurement in Gamma-Ray Detector Arrays--X-ray Instrumentation Associates, 2513 Charleston Road, Suite 207, Mountain View, CA 94043-1607; (415) 903-9980
Dr. Bradley H. Nelson, Principal Investigator
Dr. William K. Warburton, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82510
Amount: $75,000

Arrays of germanium detectors are used in nuclear physics experiments, at DOE supported facilities such as the GAMMASPHERE, to observe excited nuclear states that decay by emitting multiple gamma rays. These experiments currently reject so-called "Compton scatter" events, in which a gamma ray is not completely absorbed in one detector. An experiment called Gamma Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) is being proposed that will use energy and position measurements within multiple detectors to reconstruct Compton scatter events, thereby increasing the efficiency for observing complex decays by as much as 1,000 times. However GRETA will require significantly more sophisticated pulse measurement electronics and computation than is currently employed. The Phase I of this project will develop a digital signal processing unit capable of measuring both energy and position of gamma rays in a detector array by analyzing the pulse shapes. In Phase II the end product will be a computer-controlled unit in the VXI instrument standard, which handles 12 or more detector channels.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The first commercial application will be a unit for use in germanium detector array experiments. With only modest algorithm changes, this application can be extended to making pulse-shape corrections in arrays of mercuric iodide or cadmium zinc telluride room-temperature gamma-ray detectors, such as are used in nuclear inspection and nonproliferation detection work. Single channels of the instrument would make an excellent low-cost gamma-ray spectrometer, particularly for portable applications.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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