US 10,598,799 B1 · Method for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles

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.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles, said method comprising:

providing an elongate transparent ionizable medium extending along a longitudinal axis, said medium being surrounded by a reflective interface;
providing a single luminosity proportional photon detector operationally associated with said medium and adapted to generate signals indicative of a number of photons transiting said medium;
providing a controller adapted to receive said signals;
allowing an ionizing particle to pass through said medium, thereby creating photons therein, said photons transiting said medium;
counting the number of photons transiting said medium using only said single photon detector, said single photon detector generating said signals indicative of said number of photons transiting said medium;
calculating a penetration depth of said ionizing particle through said medium based upon said number of photons transiting said medium using said controller;
and
calculating, in the absence of temporal coincidence, an angular deviance of a path of said ionizing particle from said longitudinal axis of said medium based upon said penetration depth using said controller.

5 more elements

A method for reconstructing a trajectory of penetrating charged particles, said method comprising:

providing an array of conduits, each said conduit comprising an elongate transparent ionizable medium extending along a respective longitudinal axis, each said conduit being surrounded by a respective reflective interface;
providing a single luminosity proportional photon detector operationally associated, respectively, with said medium of each said conduit, each said photon detector adapted to generate signals indicative of a number of photons transiting said medium in each said conduit;
providing a controller adapted to receive said signals;
allowing an ionizing particle to pass through said array of conduits, thereby creating photons therein, said photons transiting said medium of at least two of said conduits;
counting the number of photons transiting said medium in each of said conduits using only said single respective photon detector for each said conduit, said single photon detectors generating said signals indicative of said number of photons transiting said medium of each said conduit;
calculating a penetration depth of said ionizing particle through said medium of each said conduit based upon said number of photons transiting said medium using said controller;
establishing a time window using said controller;
determining if said signals from at least two said photon detectors occur within said time window using said detector;
reconstructing said trajectory of said ionizing particle through said array based upon said signals from said at least two said photon detectors occurring within said time window using said controller.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles

Life of this patent

Method for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19