Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling ion beam scanning in an ion implanter is disclosed. Before an implant process is commenced, a scan waveform to create a uniform distribution along a magnetic scan axis is determined, using a travelling Faraday detector (24). Charge data from the travelling Faraday (24) is collected into a small, finite number of channels and this is used to create a histogram of collected charge vs. beam crossing time. This is in turn used to correct a target scan velocity to compensate for any dose non-uniformity. The target scan velocity is used as a first input to a fast feedback loop. A second input is obtained by digitizing the output of an inductive pickup in the magnet of the magnetic scanner in the ion implanter. Each input is separately integrated and Fast Fourier Transformed Error coefficients Ferror are obtained by dividing Fourier coefficients from the target scan velocity by Fourier coefficients from the inductive pickup signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for the non-intrusive inspection and/or verification of cargo. In an exemplary embodiment, an elemental signature is determined at a first point in a supply chain and transmitted to a second point in the supply chain. When the goods arrive at the second point, the elemental signature of the goods may be measured and verified against the original elemental signature. In another embodiment, an elemental signature may be measured to verify the origin or identity of the goods. In some embodiments such elemental signatures are inherent to the shipped goods and/or their packaging. In other embodiments, elemental signatures are applied to the shipment as tag materials.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems of scanning a target for potential threats using the energy spectra of photons scattered from the target to determine the spatial distributions of average atomic number and/or mass in the target. An exemplary method comprises: illuminating each of a plurality of voxels of the target with a photon beam; determining an incident flux upon each voxel; measuring the energy spectrum of photons scattered from the voxel; determining, using the energy spectrum, the average atomic number in the voxel; and determining the mass in the voxel using the incident flux, the average atomic number of the material in the voxel, the energy spectrum, and a scattering kernel corresponding to the voxel. An exemplary system may use threat detection heuristics to determine whether to trigger further action based upon the average atomic number and/or mass of the voxels.

Abstract: A method for detecting nuclear species in a sample by adaptive scanning using nuclear resonance fluorescence may comprise illuminating the target sample with photons from a source; detecting a signal in an energy channel; determining a scan evaluation parameter using the signal detected; determining whether the scan evaluation parameter meets a detection efficiency criterion; adjusting one or more system parameters such that the scan evaluation parameter meets the detection efficiency criterion; and comparing the signal in an energy channel to a predetermined species detection criterion to identify a species detection event. In another embodiment, detecting a signal in an energy channel may further comprise detecting photons scattered from the target sample. In another embodiment, detecting a signal in an energy channel may further comprise detecting photons transmitted through the target sample and scattered from at least one reference scatterer.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting potential items of interest in target samples, using nuclear resonance fluorescence, utilize incident photon spectra that are narrower than traditional bremsstrahlung spectra but overlap nuclear resonances in elements of interest for purposes of detection, such as but not limited to the detection of threats in luggage or containers being scanned.