Method and material for the detection of ionizing radiation
AssigneeBritish Nuclear Fuels plc
InventorChristopher J. Broan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and materials are described for the monitoring of ionizing radiation in a location or on a person. The method comprises providing a fluorescent organic sensor material in the location where monitoring is required, the fluorescent organic sensor material having a molecular structure comprising at least one pair of fluorophore units, the units being held together by a spacer unit such that they are capable of interacting to produce a distinct fluorescence spectrum different from those of the individual fluorophore units; exposing the sensor material to the radiation; and determining any change in the fluorescence spectrum of the sensor material after exposure.
Claims25
A method of detecting ionizing radiation, the method comprising the steps of providing a fluorescent organic sensor material in the location where detecting is required, the fluorescent organic sensor material having a molecular structure comprising at least one pair of fluorophore units, the fluorophore units being held together by a spacer unit such that they are capable of interacting to produce a distinct fluorescence spectrum different from those of the individual fluorophore units, said distinct spectrum being responsive to said ionizing radiation;
- exposing said fluorescent organic sensor material to said radiation;
- and determining any change in the fluorescence spectrum of said fluorescent organic sensor material after said exposure.
A synthesized organic fluorescent sensor material for use in the detection of ionizing radiation, the organic fluorescent material having a molecular structure comprising at least one pair of fluorophore unit molecules, the fluorophore units being held together by a spacer unit molecule such that the fluorophore unit molecules are capable of interacting to produce a distinct fluorescence spectrum different from that of the individual fluorophore units, said sensor material being susceptible to damage from ionizing radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.