Abstract: A material characterization system and method for characterizing a stream of material emanating from a material identification, exploration, extraction or processing activity, the system including a source of incident radiation configured to irradiate the stream of material in an irradiation region, one or more detectors adapted to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream of material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation and thereby produce a detection signal, and one or more digital processors configured to process the detection signal to characterise the stream of material, wherein the source of incident radiation and the one or more detectors are adapted to be disposed relative to the stream of material so as to irradiate the stream of material and detect the radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream as the stream passes through the irradiation region.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for characterising at least part of a material comprising: a source of incident X-rays (4, 28) configured to irradiate at least part of the material; one or more detectors (300,302,312,1701,1704,1600,1607,1608,1604) adapted to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation (1700) and thereby produce a detection signal (313); and one or more digital processors (304-311,2000-2009) configured to process the detection signal (313) to characterise at least part of the material; wherein the one or more detectors (300,302,312,1701, 1704,1600,1607,1608,1604) and one or more digital processors (304-311,2000-2009) are configured to characterise at least part of the material by performing energy resolved photon counting X-ray transmission spectroscopy analysis.

Abstract: A material characterization system and method for characterizing a stream of material emanating from a material identification, exploration, extraction or processing activity, the system including a source of incident radiation configured to irradiate the stream of material in an irradiation region, one or more detectors adapted to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream of material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation and thereby produce a detection signal, and one or more digital processors configured to process the detection signal to characterise the stream of material, wherein the source of incident radiation and the one or more detectors are adapted to be disposed relative to the stream of material so as to irradiate the stream of material and detect the radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream as the stream passes through the irradiation region.

Abstract: Provided are a material characterization system and method for characterizing a stream of material emanating from a material identification, exploration, extraction or processing activity, the system including: a source of incident radiation configured to irradiate the stream of material in an irradiation region, one or more detectors configured to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream of material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation and thereby produce a detection signal, and one or more digital processors configured to process the detection signal to characterize the stream of material. The source of incident radiation and the one or more detectors are configured to be disposed relative to the stream of material so as to irradiate the stream of material and detect the radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream as the stream passes through the irradiation region.

Abstract: A device and method for material characterization are provided. In one aspect, the method includes detecting packets of radiation emanating from within or passing through one or more items of freight or baggage as a result of irradiation by incident radiation, using a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors being configured to produce an electrical pulse caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets. The method further includes processing each of the electrical pulses using one or more digital processors to determine the characteristic size or shape, generating a screening detector energy spectrum for each of the detectors of the energies of the packets detected, and measuring an effective atomic number Z of an unknown material associated with the one or more items of freight or baggage based on the screening detector energy spectra in comparison with calibration measurements.

Abstract: A device and method for material characterization are provided. In one aspect, the method includes detecting packets of radiation emanating from within or passing through one or more items of freight or baggage as a result of irradiation by incident radiation, using a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors being configured to produce an electrical pulse caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets. The method further includes processing each of the electrical pulses using one or more digital processors to determine the characteristic size or shape, generating a screening detector energy spectrum for each of the detectors of the energies of the packets detected, and measuring an effective atomic number Z of an unknown material associated with the one or more items of freight or baggage based on the screening detector energy spectra in comparison with calibration measurements.

Abstract: The invention provides a device (100) for screening one or more items (101,1806) of freight or baggage for one or more types of target material, the device comprising: a source (200, 201,1800) of incident radiation (204,206,1804) configured to irradiate the one or more items (101,1806); a plurality of detectors (202,209,1807, 301) adapted to detect packets of radiation (205,207,1700) emanating from within or passing through the one or more items (101, 1806) as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation (204, 206, 1804), each detector being configured to produce an electrical pulse (312) caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets; one or more digital processors (203, 210, 303, 304, 306, 305) configured to process each electrical pulse to determine the characteristic size or shape and to thereby generate a detector energy spectrum for each detector of the energies of the packets detected, and characterize a material associated with the o

Abstract: The invention provides a material characterisation system and method for characterising a stream of material emanating from a material identification, exploration, extraction or processing activity, the system comprising: a source of incident radiation (64) configured to irradiate the stream of material in an irradiation region (18); one or more detectors (300,302,312,1701,1704,1600,1607,1608,1604) adapted to detect radiation emanating from within or passing through the stream of material as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation (1700) and thereby produce a detection signal (313); and one or more digital processors (304-311,2000-2009) configured to process the detection signal to characterise the stream of material; wherein the source of incident radiation (64) and the one or more detectors (300,302,312,1701,1704,1600,1607,1608,1604) are adapted to be disposed relative to the stream of material so as to irradiate the stream of material and detect the radiation emanating from within or passing

Abstract: The invention provides a device (100) for screening one or more items (101,1806) of freight or baggage for one or more types of target material, the device comprising: a source (200, 201,1800) of incident radiation (204,206,1804) configured to irradiate the one or more items (101,1806); a plurality of detectors (202,209,1807, 301) adapted to detect packets of radiation (205,207,1700) emanating from within or passing through the one or more items (101, 1806) as a result of the irradiation by the incident radiation (204, 206, 1804), each detector being configured to produce an electrical pulse (312) caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets; one or more digital processors (203, 210, 303, 304, 306, 305) configured to process each electrical pulse to determine the characteristic size or shape and to thereby generate a detector energy spectrum for each detector of the energies of the packets detected, and characterise a material associated with the o