A Wireless-Enabled Microdischarge-Based Radiation Detector Utilizing Stacked Electrode Arrays for Enhanced Detection Efficiency

Abstract

This paper describes a wireless gas-based beta/ gamma radiation detector that uses an arrayed electrode structure to demonstrate a scalable path for increasing detection efficiency. The device uses an assembly of stainless-steel electrodes and a glass spacer structure within a TO-5 package. The components are manufactured by commercial micromachining methods, e.g., the electrodes are photochemically etched whereas the spacer structure is ultrasonically machined. Two different fill gases are evaluated near 760 torr-i.e., Ar and P-10. The detector diameter and height are 9 and 9.6 mm, respectively, and its weight is 1.01 g. With a 99-μCi Cs-137 source (which is a beta and gamma emitter), the detector provides > 78 cpm to a hardwired interface at a source-detector distance of 30.5 cm. Receiver operating characteristics evaluated for integration times ranging from 30 to 180 s have shown to improve with longer integration time. The estimated intrinsic detection efficiency (i.e., with the background rate subtracted) is ≈4%, as measured with the biasing arrangement described in this paper. Portable powering modules developed for these detectors are also presented. During operation, gas microdischarges between the electrodes, which are initiated by incident radiation, transmit wideband wireless signals. Wireless signaling has been demonstrated to exhibit fast transient durations on the order of tens of nanoseconds. Wireless-enabled radiation sensors are envisioned for use in rapidly deployable mobile network configurations.[2010-0362]

A Microdischarge-Based Neutron Radiation Detector Utilizing a Stacked Arrangement of Micromachined Steel Electrodes With Gadolinium Film for Neutron Conversion

“…The probability of interaction of a gamma ray with a material to produce the fast electrons increases with atomic number, Z , of the material and its thickness. It has previously been shown that beta particles and gamma rays can be detected using appropriately designed microstructures that utilize 150 μm thick stainless steel foil (SS 304) [4], [5].…”

Chromium speciation using large scale plasmas in a lab and towards field deployable speciation by employing a battery-operated microplasma-on-a-chip and optical emission spectrometry

“…3. To take advantage of their desirable analytical performance and other characteristics (e.g., lower cost of ownership and operating costs) microplasmas with different geometries and shapes (e.g., tubular, rectangular, plasmas-on-a-chip) and a variety of electrical powering methods (e.g., dc, ac, rf, microwave, microplasmas with one electrode in contact with a solution) have been reported [7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…The main focus of what is reported here will be on microplasmas we developed [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] on flat 2D-chips [21,22,25,26] and on 3D-chips [15,19,20] including those that were rapidly prototyped [15,23] using 3D-printing [27] for possible use for Cr-speciation onsite (i.e., in the field). More specifically two questions will be addressed.…”

Microplasmas: from applications to fundamentals

“…To take advantage of their desirable analytical performance characteristics, microplasmas with a variety of geometrical designs (e.g., tubular or rectangular channels, plasmas-on-a-chip) and electrical powering schemes (e.g., dc, ac, rf, microwave, microplasmas with one electrode in contact with a solution) have been reported [2][3][4][5][6][7]. Only a very small fraction of the expanding microplasma literature is cited here; the web-site Science.gov [8] lists about 500 entries under the topic "atmospheric pressure microplasmas".…”