# US 12,181,627 B2 · Sourceless gain stabilization for scintillation counting tools

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- Number: US 12,181,627 B2
- Document ID: US12181627B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/963,806
- Filed: 2018-05-01
- Published: 2021-02-18
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-01
- Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Lei Wang; Jeffrey James Crawford; Paravastu Badrinarayanan; Gordon Layne Moake; Michel LeBlanc
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181627B2

## CPC

- G01V 5/12: using gamma or X-ray sources {(gamma sources using isotopes G21G4/00; X-ray tubes H01J35/00)}
- E21B 47/00: Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08)
- E21B 49/00: Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
- G01T 1/208: Circuits specially adapted for scintillation detectors, e.g. for the photo-multiplier section
- G01T 1/40: Stabilisation of spectrometers
- G01V 8/16: using optical fibres
- E21B 47/07: Temperature
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)

## Abstract

The present disclosure describes gain stabilization techniques for scintillation devices which do not require use of an intrinsic reference radiation source. Reference light pulses are emitted into the scintillation device to obtain a signal having a given magnitude. The magnitude of the signal is compared to the magnitude of a reference signal computed as a function of temperature and a degradation factor. A gain adjustment is computed which causes the magnitude of the signal to match the target reference magnitude. The gain adjustment is then used to adjust the system gain so that subsequent output signal amplitudes, measured when energetic photons interact in the scintillator, always correspond to the same energy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for gain stabilization of a scintillation device having a scintillator and photodetector, the method comprising:
emitting light pulses into the scintillation device using a reference light source, wherein the scintillation device does not employ an intrinsic radioactive source;
in response to the light pulses, measuring a signal from the scintillation device;
determining a magnitude representative of the measured signal;
comparing the measured magnitude to a target reference magnitude, wherein the target reference magnitude is computed using:
a first variable representing light output of the reference light source as a function of temperature;
a second variable representing light output of the scintillator as a function of the temperature; and
a degradation factor representing systematic gain shifts of the scintillation device;
computing a gain adjustment that causes the measured magnitude to match the target reference magnitude; and
applying the gain adjustment to the scintillation device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the measured signal in response to the light pulses is distinctive from signals obtained from other photon sources.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the measured magnitude is a peak voltage or peak current of the measured signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the light pulses enter the photodetector of the scintillation device:
after passing through a scintillator; or
without passing through a scintillator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein an optical fiber is used to optically couple the reference light source to the photodetector or scintillator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein an LED or laser is used as the reference light source to emit the light pulses.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the degradation factor is a ratio of a first and second factor, the first factor representing a loss of light occurring as light travels from the reference light source to the photodetector, and the second factor representing a loss of light occurring as light travels from the scintillator to the photodetector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein comparing the measured magnitude to the reference magnitude comprises obtaining a temperature of one or more of the photodetector, scintillator, or electronics of the scintillation device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein applying the gain adjustment to the scintillation device comprises one or both of:
adjusting a high voltage component of the scintillation device; and
adjusting a signal amplification of the scintillation device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the degradation factor is calculated by measuring a known spectrum.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the scintillation device is positioned in a downhole system and used to perform an evaluation of a downhole formation.

### Claim 12

A system for gain stabilization of a scintillation device, comprising:
a reference light source;
a scintillator, wherein the scintillator does not employ an intrinsic radioactive source;
a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator; and
one or more processors coupled to the reference light source and photodetector and operable to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
emitting light pulses into the scintillation device using a reference light source;
in response to the light pulses, measuring a signal from the scintillation device;
determining a magnitude representative of the measured signal;
comparing the measured magnitude to a target reference magnitude, wherein the target reference magnitude is computed using:
a first variable representing light output of the reference light source as a function of temperature;
a second variable representing light output of the scintillator as a function of the temperature; and
a degradation factor representing systematic gain shifts of the scintillation device;
computing a gain adjustment that causes the measured magnitude to match the target reference magnitude; and
applying the gain adjustment to the scintillation device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the measured signal in response to the light pulses is distinctive from signals obtained from other photon sources.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the measured magnitude is a peak voltage or peak current of the measured signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, further comprising an optical fiber directly coupling the reference light source to the photodetector or scintillator.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the reference light source is an LED or laser.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the degradation factor is a ratio of a first and second factor, the first factor representing a loss of light occurring as light travels from the reference light source to a photodetector, and the second factor representing a loss of light occurring as light travels from a scintillator to the photodetector.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned adjacent the photodetector, scintillator, or electronics of the scintillation device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein applying the gain adjustment to the scintillation device comprises one or both of:
adjusting a high voltage component of the scintillation device; and
adjusting a signal amplification of the scintillation device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the scintillation device is positioned in a downhole system.