Abstract: A method of calibration of a dataset for spectroscopically resolved radiation scanning, comprising the steps of: generating an apparatus condition specific calibration dataset of emergent radiation intensity information generated after interaction in the scanning zone of at least one standard object spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands; providing a transferable database comprising a dataset of transferable data items of emergent intensity information for a range of component materials, each spectroscopically resolved into a plurality of frequency bands and linked to the condition specific calibration dataset; defining a reference calibration dataset; generating a transfer function between the data item and the reference calibration dataset; applying the transfer function to the transferable data item to generate a dynamic data item adjusted to the reference calibration; populating a data register with a dynamic dataset comprising a dataset of data items each dynamically adjusted to t

Abstract: A method of examination of an object comprising the steps of: applying a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technique to obtain a data item correlated to the relative nuclear susceptibility within the sample; obtaining a further data item correlated to another measure of the object under examination; determining therefrom a ratio.

Abstract: A method of radiological examination of an object for the identification and detection of the composition the object comprising the steps of: irradiating an object under test with high energy radiation such as x-rays or gamma-rays and collecting radiation emergent from the object at a suitable detector system in such manner that emergent radiation intensity data is collected for the entire volume of the object under test; numerically processing the radiation intensity data to obtain a first data item correlated to the total number of electrons within the sample; applying an alternative method to obtain a second data item correlated to another property of the sample; using the first and second data items to derive an indication of the material content of the sample.

Abstract: Method for the identification of a homogeneous material (e.g. a liquid) in a container (e.g. a bottle) by measuring its X-ray or gamma spectrum and deriving its specific attenuation function. The method comprises building a database of the attenuation functions of empty containers, of containers filled with various fluid materials and of the contained fluid materials itself (by subtracting or devoluting the empty-container-attenuation-function from the filled-container-attenuation-function), recording the spectrum of an unknown material in a container and comparing this spectrum to the spectra in the database.

Abstract: A two step method of scanning objects to gain information about material content comprises the steps of providing a radiation source and a radiation detector system spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone therebetween. In a first scanning step, an object is moved relative to the source and detector system, intensity information about radiation incident at the detector system after interaction with the object as it passes through the scanning zone is collected, variation of intensity as the object moves through the scanning zone is used to identify anomalous structures and/or absence of homogeneity in the object. In a second, subsequent scanning step an object is located in fixed position in the scanning zone and collecting intensity information collected, analysed against a suitable functional relationship relating transmitted to incident intensity, and the results compared with a library of suitable data to provide an indication of material content.

Abstract: A detector device is described comprising an x-ray detector structure having a detection surface defining at least one separately addressable region for detecting incident x-ray radiation intensity thereon, wherein the separately addressable region is divided into a plurality of sub-regions provided on the detection surface each provided with a filter layer on the detection surface, the filter layers of a given separately addressable region comprising discrete and different materials with discrete defined and spectroscopically spaced x-ray absorption edges. A method of device manufacture, and an apparatus and method for the inspection and characterization of materials employing such a detector device, are also described.

Abstract: A semiconductor detector device comprising: a detector element comprising at least one active detector layer of piezoelectric semiconductor material; a stress inducing element arranged to act in use on the detector element to generate therein a predetermined pattern of stress, and consequently a predetermined electrical field via the piezoelectric effect. A method of fabrication and of operation of a semiconductor detector device embodying these principles are also described.

Abstract: A vapour conduit for use in an apparatus for bulk vapour phase crystal growth, an apparatus for bulk vapour phase crystal growth, and a process for bulk vapour phase crystal growth are described. The vapour conduit is a flow conduit defining a passage means adapted for transport of vapour from a source volume to a growth volume, wherein a flow restrictor is provided in the passage means between the source volume and the growth volume and wherein the flow conduit further comprises a flow director structured to direct vapour flow downstream of the flow restrictor away from a longitudinal centre line of the conduit and for example towards an edge of the conduit.

Abstract: A radiation detector device is described comprising a detection module, a processing module, and a display module, wherein the detection module includes a detector adapted to detect incident radiation in spectroscopically resolved manner in plural separate energy bands; the processing module is adapted to process the spectroscopically resolved data numerically and thereby to produce at least a first data item indicative of a measure of radiation incident at the detector and a second data item indicative of a statistical certainty applicable to the first data item; the display module is adapted to produce a display representative of both the first data item and the second data item. A radiation detection method, a kit of parts for implementing the same for example in combination with a suitable programmable device, and associated concepts, are also described.

Abstract: A structure including a substrate, an intermediate layer provided and formed directly onto the substrate, a transition region, and a group II-VI bulk crystal material provided and formed as an extension of the transition region. The transition region acts to change the structure from the underlying substrate to that of the bulk crystal. In a method of manufacture, a similar technique can be used for growing the transition region and the bulk crystal layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correction of detected radiation data from a semiconductor device are described. The method comprising the steps of measuring a pulse energy reading from radiation incident at the semiconductor device; filtering the signal and determining the time that the filtered signal exceeds a predetermined threshold energy; if the determined time is within predetermined parameter(s) comprising at least a predetermined maximum, storing the pulse energy reading in a first, pulse energy data register; if the determined time is above a predetermined maximum, discarding the pulse energy reading and incrementing a count in a second, discard data register; repeating the above steps to acquire a dataset of pulse energy readings of a desired size in the first data register; and on completion of such acquisition; using the discard data register to supplement the dataset of pulse energy readings by numerically correcting discarded counts and adding back into the dataset of pulse energy readings.

Abstract: A method is described for the combined processing of spectral data from a plurality of radiation detectors (4,6), in particular with a plurality of response functions, comprising: obtaining a response matrix for each detector (4,6); collecting data from radiation incident at each detector (4,6); producing a spectral histogram for the collected data from each detector (4,6); deconvoluting the histograms from each detector by applying a suitable numerical deconvolution such as a Bayesian deconvolution that makes use of the response matrix for each detector to derive a single spectral histogram that representatively combines information from the plurality of detectors. An apparatus, such as a hybrid detector apparatus, to which the method can be applied is also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for vapor phase growing of crystals having a single multi-zone heater arranged to heat a heated zone to give a predetermined temperature profile along the length of the heated zone. A generally U-shaped tube having a first limb, a second limb, and a linkage connecting the first and second limbs is located on the heated zone. The first limb contains a source material. The second limb supports a seed such that the source material and seed are spaced longitudinally within the heated zone to provide a predetermined temperature differential between the source and seed. The crystal is grown on the seed.

Abstract: A method processing an image dataset of radiation emergent from a test object after its irradiation by a suitable radiation source is described which comprises the steps of: generating an image dataset comprising a spatially resolved map of items of intensity data from the radiation emergent from the test object; further, resolving the intensity data items spectroscopically between at least two energy bands across the spectrum of the source; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data items to determine a further spatially resolved dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density; generating a segmented image dataset using the said dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density. The method applied as part of a method for the radiological examination of an object and an apparatus for the same are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for obtaining radiation interaction data from an object to enable better determination of the composition of the object. A radiation source and a radiation detector system are used to collect both transmitted and scattered radiation, preferably including radiation from at least one forward scatter mode. The detector system is capable of detecting and collecting spectroscopically resolvable information about incident radiation. Each intensity dataset is resolved across at least three of energy bands within the spectrum of the source, and this data may then be processed numerically to enable better determination of the composition of the object.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for obtaining radiation transmission data from a liquid in such manner that allows some data about relative proportions of constituent ingredients to be derived is described. A radiation source and a radiation detector system able to resolve transmitted intensity across a plurality of frequencies within the spectrum of the source are used to produce transmitted intensity data for each such frequency. Measured data is compared numerically to a mass attenuation data library storing mass attenuation data, individually or collectively, for a small number of expected constituent ingredients of the liquid to fit each intensity data item to the relationship given by the exponential attenuation law: I/IO=exp [?(?/?) ?t] in respect of the constituent ingredients and derive therefrom an indication of relative proportions of each constituent ingredient.

Abstract: A detector apparatus is described for scanning of and obtaining radiation data from an object and generating an image therefrom. The apparatus comprises a radiation detector system spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone and to collect a dataset of information about radiation incident at the detector after interaction with an object and to resolve collected information spatially in two dimensions across a scan area and spectroscopically across a plurality of frequency bands in the spectrum of the source. A detector exhibits a spectroscopically variable response across at least a part of the spectrum of the source and to resolve collected information spatially with a rastering module configured to divide the scanning area into a plurality of pixels two dimensions; and a control to move the detector to scan such pixels successively and thereby collect a dataset for each pixel. A method is also described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating and displaying an image of an object is described and includes a radiation source and a series of at least two linear detectors capable of detecting incident radiation after transmission through an object to define a scanning zone there between. The object is moved relative to and through the scanning zone in successive passes along at least two linear directions at an angle to each other. An image generation apparatus generates for each successive pass at least a first image from the first linear detector, a second image from the second linear detector, and a third image. An image display is adapted successively to display at least the first, second and third images and display the monocular movement parallax between the images. Each image is processed before display to reduce distortion attributable to beam spreading in a direction perpendicular to a scan direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for crystal growth including a source chamber configured to contain a source material, a growth chamber, a passage for transport of vapour from the source chamber to the growth chamber, and a support provided within the growth chamber that is configured to support a seed crystal. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the support is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the growth chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for vapour phase crystal growth comprising an envelope assembly with a one source module defining at least one source volume, a growth module defining at least one growth volume, and a manifold module defining at least one manifold volume. The source module, manifold module and growth module are configured co-operably to define a fluidly continuous envelope volume including a flow restrictor between the source volume and the growth volume. A vacuum vessel containing one or more of the envelope assemblies. An evacuator to evacuate the vacuum vessel. A fluid communication path between the envelope volume and the vacuum vessel associated with each source volume at a location on the source volume side of its associated flow restrictor. A closure mechanism is configured to restrict the fluid communication path between each source volume and the vacuum vessel. A method of employing such an apparatus is also disclosed.