Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for the detection of hydrogenated materials. Detection of concealed hydrogenated materials such as organic explosives, drugs, or biological tissue is accomplished by measuring the backscattering of neutrons from hydrogenous material in the targeted environment. The system comprises a neutron source that provides information as to the time at which the neutron is emitted, and a neutron sensor, which provides information as to the time at which the neutron is detected and may provide information as to the location at which the neutron is detected. The invention comprises a timing circuit that deactivates the neutron sensor during a time delay to reject signals from neutrons that have not scattered from hydrogen nuclei. The invention may further cease to detect neutrons after a window to reject signals from neutrons that have scattered off distant hydrogen nuclei, which may represent background noise.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a system for measuring a thermal neutron emission from a neutron source, has a reflector/moderator proximate the neutron source that reflects and moderates neutrons from the neutron source. The reflector/moderator further directs thermal neutrons toward an unmoderated thermal neutron detector.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for combining ions with a neutral gas and flowing the mixture with a radial flow component through a magnetic field so that the weakly ionized gas is confined by the neutral gas. When the weakly ionized gas is present in sufficient density, a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma is formed that may be trapped in accordance with the present invention. Applications for a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma exploit the trap's ability to store and manipulate ionic species in the presence of neutral gas. The trap may be connected to a mass spectrometer thereby permitting species identification after a fixed period of time. Delicate and/or heavy particles such as clusters may be held and studied in a "gentle" environment. In addition, the trap can provide a relatively intense, low-energy source of a particular ion species for surface implantation or molecular chemistry. Finally, a long trap may permit spectroscopy of unprecedented accuracy to be performed on ionic species.

Abstract: An improved method for delivering thermal neutrons to a subsurface cancer or tumor which has been first doped with a dopant having a high cross section for neutron capture. The improvement is the use of a guide tube in cooperation with a capillary neutron focusing apparatus, or neutron focusing lens, for directing neutrons to the tumor, and thereby avoiding damage to surrounding tissue.