Thermoluminescent reader system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJames Flournoy, William Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A TLD reader system has a laser diode that heats a thermoluminescent material causing a hemispherical photon emission that is collected by a ball lens. A filter ensures the ball lens receives and collects a predetermined transmittance value of the photons emitted within a predetermined range of wavelength. The ball lens sends the collected photons via a fiber-optic connection to a detection module. An infrared sensor senses the temperature and monitors the heating profile of the thermoluminescent material. A computer-controlled feedback loop maintains a constant output power from the laser diode.
Claims38
A TLD reader system, comprising:
- a laser diode for heating a thermoluminescent material;
- a ball lens for collecting hemispherical photon emissions as a result of said diode heating said thermoluminescent material;
- and
- an infrared sensor for sensing the temperature and monitoring the heating profile of the thermoluminescent material.
A TLD reader system, comprising:
- a power-generating diode for heating a thermoluminescent material;
- a lens for capturing photoemissions from the thermoluminescent material;
- a filter for ensuring said lens receives a predetermined transmittance value of the photons emitted from the thermoluminescent material within a predetermined range of wavelength.
A TLD reader system, comprising:
- a laser diode for heating a thermoluminescent material;
- a ball lens;
- a filter positioned between said laser diode and said ball lens;
- and
- detection means for detecting photons passing through said filter.
A TLD reader system, comprising:
- a laser diode for heating a thermoluminescent material;
- means for splitting a predetermined percentage of an output from said laser diode and directing said predetermined percentage of output toward the thermoluminescent material;
- means for evaluating a remaining percentage of laser diode output from said means for splitting and determining if a change in power supplied to said laser diode is required;
- and
- means for adjusting the power supplied to said laser diode, said means for adjusting power receiving a signal from said means for evaluating and adjusting the power supplied to said laser diode based upon the signal received from said means for evaluating.
A method for determining the radiation exposure of a thermoluminescent material, comprising the steps of:
- applying a laser beam to heat the thermoluminescent material;
- collecting the photons emitted from the heated thermoluminescent material;
- determining the number of photons emitted and calculating the dose of radiation exposure of the thermoluminescent material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.