Abstract: A method of intimating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of selecting a slice configuration of a medical imaging apparatus. According to an example, an expected scanning time for scanning a region of a scanning length by the medical imaging apparatus with each of candidate slice configurations may be determined, and one or more first slice configurations are selected from the candidate slice configurations in a way that the scanning time of each of the first slice configurations is less than a preset threshold. An expected scanning length and an expected redundant scanning dose for scanning the region by the medical imaging apparatus with each of the first slice configurations may be determined. In this way, for scanning the region by the medical imaging apparatus, a target slice configuration may be selected from the first slice configurations according to the expected redundant scanning dose.

Abstract: Improvement of the dynamic range of a radiation detector is described. In one embodiment, one or more non-destructive readout operations are performed during a radiation exposure event to acquire data used to improve the dynamic range of the detector. In one implementation, one or more non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed prior to saturation of the pixels during an X-ray exposure so as to obtain non-saturated measurements at the pixels. In an additional implementation, non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed between exposure events so as to obtain an estimate of electronic noise during a multi-exposure examination.

Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to contacts for an infrared detector. For example, an infrared imaging device includes a substrate having a first metal layer and an infrared detector array coupled to the substrate via a plurality of contacts. Each contact includes for an embodiment a plurality of metal studs each having a first end and a second end and each disposed between the first metal layer and a second metal layer, wherein the first end of each metal stud is disposed on a portion of the first metal layer that is at least partially on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes an array of detector pixels each including an array of detector cells. Each detector cell includes a photodiode biased in a breakdown region and digital circuitry coupled with the photodiode and configured to output a first digital value in a quiescent state and a second digital value responsive to photon detection by the photodiode. Digital triggering circuitry is configured to output a trigger signal indicative of a start of an integration time period responsive to a selected number of one or more of the detector cells transitioning from the first digital value to the second digital value. Readout digital circuitry accumulates a count of a number of transitions of detector cells of the array of detector cells from the first digital state to the second digital state over the integration time period.

Abstract: A method may comprise providing a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the wellbore being lined with a pipe and having a cement between the pipe and the wellbore, wherein the cement contains a defect; providing a control spectrum of gamma radiation count rates as a function of energy for a control, wherein the control comprises the cement without the defect; emitting gamma rays into the pipe and the cement having the defect from a source of a nuclear tool disposed in the wellbore; detecting count rates of gamma radiation scattered back from the pipe and the cement having the defect with a detector of the nuclear tool as a function of energy to produce a sample spectrum; and deriving one or more physical attributes related to the defect based on a comparison of the sample spectrum and the control spectrum.

Abstract: A method and a device for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles uses a one-dimensional transparent dielectric column which is surrounded by a specular reflector. The column is coupled to a photon counter and is enclosed in a light baffle to exclude external photons. Penetrating charged particles passing through the column interact with the column electromagnetically, producing photons which internally reflect down the column and are counted by the photon counter. The penetration depth of the charged particles through the column is deduced from the photon count by application of theoretical means. The resulting penetration depth is geometrically fit within the dimensions of the column, yielding a discrimination of the variance of the charged particle's trajectory from the pointing direction of the column. In an embodiment, a particle's magnetic rigidity is ascertained by photon counting.

Abstract: The present invention identifies ? decay and other events included in the emission of an LaBr3 scintillator and only collects ? ray events. An LaBr3 scintillation detector is provided with an LaBr3 scintillator 10, a photomultiplier tube 12, an oscilloscope 14, and a computer 18. The computer 18 detects a peak value Vp and a total charge amount Qtotal of a voltage waveform signal and calculates an error propagation expression function for a ratio of the peak value Vp to the total charge amount Qtotal. This error propagation expression function is used as a threshold function for identifying and removing ? decay events. The ? decay events are identified from the peak value Vp and total charge amount Qtotal, which are measurement values that can be measured in real time.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of processing a gamma ray spectrum acquired from a target. The method comprises determining whether the gamma ray spectrum of the target belongs to a first class of a plurality of classes, the first class containing reference gamma ray spectra of one or more radionuclide sources of interest, using optimal loading coefficients associated with the one or more radionuclide sources of interest, wherein the optimal loading coefficients have been obtained using Fisher linear discriminant analysis, and generating an output signal dependent on the determining.

Abstract: The test elements are provided that are adapted to detect at least one analyte in a sample. At least some of the test elements are provided with a defect marking which contains information about defectiveness of the test elements. The test elements include at least one radiation-sensitive material. The test elements are exposed to at least one radiation, the radiation being adapted to induce marking in the form of at least one optically detectable change in the radiation-sensitive material.

Abstract: A method of illuminating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.

Abstract: A contactless and battery-less interface for component identification and remote sensing is disclosed. The interface includes a near-field electromagnetic coupling for electrical power transfer and a full duplex optical coupling for bi-directional serial communication interface. The interface provides a low-cost and low-power Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microcontroller with a minimum of components and a low production cost, wherein a communication and power interface can be provided between components such as a gamma camera head and a collimator, without requiring electrical contacts between interface circuit assemblies on the respective parts.

Abstract: A C-arm X-ray apparatus with a surgical positioning and linear navigation function is provided. The apparatus includes a C-arm, an image enhancer, an X-ray tube, a support frame, a trolley, a monitor and a central controller. The image enhancer is disposed at one end of the C-arm, and the X-ray tube is disposed at the other end of the C-arm which is mounted on the support frame and capable of rotationally sliding along the support frame, the support frame is mounted on the trolley and capable of sliding horizontally along the trolley, and the monitor and the central controller are electrically connected with the image enhancer and the X-ray tube, where a positioning module is further disposed on the C-arm and cooperates with the image enhancer and the X-ray tube.

Abstract: A system and method of non-contact measurement of the dopant content of semiconductor material by reflecting infrared (IR) radiation off of the material into an integrating sphere to scatter the received radiation and passing portions of the radiation through band pass filters of differing wavelength ranges, comparing the level of energy passed through each filter and calculating the dopant content by referencing a correlation curve made up of known wafer dopant content for that system.

Abstract: Provided are an infrared sensor and an infrared sensor device that are less susceptible to effects from the casing and lead wires, can be surface-mounted, and can measure the temperature of the object to be measured in a more accurate manner. This invention has: an insulating film; a first and a second heat sensitive element provided on the insulating film; a first and a second wiring film that are respectively connected to the heat sensitive elements; an infrared reflecting film; a terminal support body, arranged on the one face; and a plurality of mounting terminals provided to the terminal support body, wherein the mounting terminals have support convex parts protruding upward, the support convex parts are connected to the corresponding first and second wiring films, and the insulating film is supported such that a gap is provided between the terminal support body and the insulating film.

Abstract: A method for setting an evaluation parameter for a fluorescence microscope includes exciting dye particles in a sample to fluoresce and detecting fluorescent light from the particles. A graphical representation of a distribution of the fluorescent light is determined and a signal is generated for use in displaying the graphical representation on a display unit. Each subregion of the graphical representation is associated with a comparison value that is representative of a light quantity in the subregion. A predefined threshold is used as an evaluation parameter and compared to the comparison values. The subregions having a comparison value that is greater than the threshold value are marked on the display unit with predefined markings. The threshold value is changed and the comparison values are compared to the changed threshold value. The marked regions are defined as events and a complete image of the sample is obtained based on the events.

Abstract: A method of illuminating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to transmit energy to a nanofiber sampling coil and/or a nanofiber reference coil. Further activity may include receiving the energy as modified by evanescent interaction with a sampled material located proximate to the sampling coil and/or as modified by propagation through the reference coil, and comparing the energy modified by evanescent interaction with the energy modified by propagation through the reference coil to determine a spectroscopic property of the sampled material. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods, including the use of nanofibers and fluorescence induced by evanescent radiation to conduct spectroscopic analysis, are disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a multi-spectral pyrometry system configured to receive a broad wavelength band radiation signal from a turbine component, to split the broad wavelength band radiation signal into multiple narrow wavelength band radiation signals, to determine emissivity of the turbine component based on the narrow wavelength band radiation signals, and to detect spall on a surface of the turbine component based on the emissivity.

Abstract: A fluorescence intensity analyzing and fluorescence image synthesizing system and method are disclosed. The first fluorescence intensity detection device successively detects the plurality of first fluorescence intensities according to the first timing and the second fluorescence intensity detection device successively detects the plurality of second fluorescence intensities according to the second timing, and then the picture processing device analyzes the first and second timings and synthesizes the first and second fluorescence intensity ranges into the synthesized picture according to the fluorescence intensities, whereby the image processing technology may be used to calculate the fluorescence target range and thus mark the fluorescence target range.