Abstract: An article of manufacture that comprises a structure that is a security system device (or portion thereof) or a fire system device (or portion), where a persistent phosphor and/or a persistent phosphor blend is either integrated in a coating on the structure; applied on the structure; or integrated in the structure, wherein the persistent phosphor comprises certain phosphors or phosphor blends. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.

Abstract: A scintillator composition includes a matrix material, where the matrix material includes an alkaline earth metal and a lanthanide halide. The scintillator composition further includes an activator ion, where the activator ion is a trivalent ion. In one embodiment, the scintillator composition includes a matrix material represented by A2LnX7, where A includes an alkaline earth metal, Ln includes a lanthanide ion, and X includes a halide ion. In another embodiment, the scintillator composition includes a matrix material represented by ALnX5, where A includes an alkaline earth metal, Ln includes a lanthanide ion, and X includes a halide ion. In these embodiments, the scintillator composition includes an activator ion, where the activator ion includes cerium, or bismuth, or praseodymium, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: An article of manufacture that comprises a structure that is a security system device (or portion thereof) or a fire system device (or portion), where a persistent phosphor and/or a persistent phosphor blend is either integrated in a coating on the structure; applied on the structure; or integrated in the structure, wherein the persistent phosphor comprises certain phosphors or phosphor blends. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.

Abstract: Scintillator materials based on certain types of halide-lanthanide matrix materials are described. In one embodiment, the matrix material contains a mixture of lanthanide halides, i.e., a solid solution of at least two of the halides, such as lanthanum chloride and lanthanum bromide. In another embodiment, the matrix material is based on lanthanum iodide alone, which must be substantially free of lanthanum oxyiodide. The scintillator materials, which can be in monocrystalline or polycrystalline form, also include an activator for the matrix material, e.g., cerium. To further improve the stopping power and the scintillating efficiency of these halide scintillators, the addition of bismuth is disclosed. Radiation detectors that use the scintillators are also described, as are related methods for detecting high-energy radiation.

Abstract: A scintillator composition is described, including a matrix material and an activator. The matrix material includes at least one lanthanide halide compound. The matrix can also include at least one alkali metal, and in some embodiments, at least one alkaline earth metal. The composition also includes a praseodymium activator for the matrix. Radiation detectors that include the scintillators are disclosed. A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a radiation detector is also described.

Abstract: A scintillator composition includes a matrix material, where the matrix material includes an alkaline earth metal and a lanthanide halide. The scintillator composition further includes an activator ion, where the activator ion is a trivalent ion. In one embodiment, the scintillator composition includes a matrix material represented by A2LnX7, where A includes an alkaline earth metal, Ln includes a lanthanide ion, and X includes a halide ion. In another embodiment, the scintillator composition includes a matrix material represented by ALnX5, where A includes an alkaline earth metal, Ln includes a lanthanide ion, and X includes a halide ion. In these embodiments, the scintillator composition includes an activator ion, where the activator ion includes cerium, or bismuth, or praseodymium, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A sensing element or detector activated by radiation comprising a first scintillator activated by gamma radiation; and a neutron sensing layer comprising a second scintillator activated by neutron radiation.

Abstract: A scintillator composition is described, including a matrix material and an activator. The matrix material includes at least one lanthanide halide compound. The matrix can also include at least one alkali metal, and in some embodiments, at least one alkaline earth metal. The composition also includes a praseodymium activator for the matrix. Radiation detectors that include the scintillators are disclosed. A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a radiation detector is also described.

Abstract: The gamma-radiation module includes a housing having a box-like container and a cover for hermetically sealing a pair of cylinders within the housing. Each cylinder includes scintillation material and a photomultiplier tube on a common cylindrical axis. The hermetically sealed module may be used singly or in multiple modules in portal applications whereby gamma-radiation from a source may be detected through a gamma-radiation transparent cover on the module.

Abstract: A scintillator composition is disclosed, containing a solid solution of at least two cerium halides. A radiation detector for detecting high-energy radiation is also described herein. The detector includes the scintillator composition mentioned above, along with a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator. A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a scintillation detector is also described, wherein the scintillation crystal is based on a mixture of cerium halides.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes a housing, a crystal and a photomultiplier tube supported in the housing. A plurality of elongated, flat plastic or ceramic springs are located radially between the crystal and photomultiplier tube and the housing, and at least one additional spring is located at one end of the crystal.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes a housing, an elongated, rectangular crystal having four longitudinally extending corners, and a photomultiplier tube both supported in the housing, with a light pipe located axially between respective facing ends of the photomultiplier tube and the crystal; and a plurality of elongated rails extending along respective ones of the longitudinally extending corners of the rectangular crystal, establishing an air gap between the crystal and the housing.

Abstract: Scintillator materials based on certain types of halide-lanthanide matrix materials are described. In one embodiment, the matrix material contains a mixture of lanthanide halides, i.e., a solid solution of at least two of the halides, such as lanthanum chloride and lanthanum bromide. In another embodiment, the matrix material is based on lanthanum iodide alone, which must be substantially free of lanthanum oxyiodide. The scintillator materials, which can be in monocrystalline or polycrystalline form, also include an activator for the matrix material, e.g., cerium. Radiation detectors that use the scintillators are also described, as are related methods for detecting high-energy radiation.

Abstract: A water monitoring system for a nuclear reactor is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the water monitoring system includes a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end, with the first end configured to optically couple to the reactor cooling water distribution system, and at least one laser light source optically coupled to the second end of the fiber optic cable. The water monitoring system also includes a spectrophotometer optically coupled to the second end of the fiber optic cable.