Methods and apparatus for the identification of molecular and crystalline materials by the doppler broadening of nuclear states bound in molecules, crystals and mixtures using nuclear resonance fluorescence

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons upon impact have an energy spectrum of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel;
• c) repeating steps a)-b) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the target is heated to a different temperature;
• and
• d) based at least in part upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one reference scatterer, the reference scatterer comprising the nuclear species of interest;
• c) allowing photons transmitted through the target to scatter from the at least one reference scatterer;
• d) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel;
• e) repeating steps a)-d) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a different at least one of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range;
• and
• f) based at least in part upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons upon impact have an energy spectrum of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one reference scatterer, the reference scatterer comprising the nuclear species of interest;
• c) allowing photons transmitted through the target to scatter from the at least one reference scatterer;
• d) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel;
• e) repeating steps a)-d) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the target is heated to a different temperature;
• and
• f) based at least in part upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel;
• c) providing at least one reference scatterer, the reference scatterer comprising at least one nuclear species of interest;
• d) allowing photons transmitted through the target to scatter from the at least one reference scatterer;
• e) providing at least one reference-photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one reference-photon energy channel of interest;
• f) repeating steps a)-e) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a different at least one of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range;
• and
• g) based at least in part upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel, and upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons upon impact have an energy spectrum of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel;
• c) providing at least one reference scatterer, the reference scatterer comprising at least one nuclear species of interest;
• d) allowing photons transmitted through the target to scatter from the at least one reference scatterer;
• e) providing at least one reference-photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one reference-photon energy channel of interest;
• f) repeating steps a)-e) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the target is heated to a different temperature;
• and
• g) based at least in part upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel, and upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least one reference scatterer in at least one energy channel, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel;
• c) providing at least one transmission detector;
• d) allowing photons transmitted through the target to impact upon the at least one transmission detector;
• e) repeating steps a)-d) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the photons have an energy spectrum upon impact of a different at least one of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range;
• and
• f) based upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel, and upon a measured intensity of photons impacting upon the at least one transmission detector, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.

A method of obtaining information about a nuclear species of interest in a target, comprising:

• a) illuminating the target with photons from a photon source, wherein the photons upon impact have an energy spectrum of a predetermined central energy and a predetermined range that overlaps a nuclear resonance of the nuclear species of interest in the target;
• b) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered by nuclear resonance fluorescence from at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel;
• c) providing at least one transmission detector;
• d) allowing photons transmitted through the target to impact upon the at least one transmission detector;
• e) repeating steps a)-d) at least one time, wherein upon each repetition the target is heated to a different temperature;
• and
• f) based upon a measured intensity of photons scattered from the at least a portion of the target in at least one energy channel, and upon a measured intensity of photons impacting upon the at least one transmission detector, determining an apparent width of the nuclear resonance in the nuclear species of interest in the target.