X-ray inspection by coherent-scattering from variably disposed scatterers identified as suspect objects
AssigneeAmerican Science and Engineering, Inc.
InventorsLee Grodzins, William Adams, Peter Rothschild
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for inspecting an enclosure with penetrating radiation. Radiation side-scattered from an object within the enclosure is detected, allowing the object to be located. If the object is deemed suspect, a volume element of the suspect object is further irradiated with penetrating radiation, and radiation coherently-scattered by the volume element is detected. The energy spectrum and angular distribution of the coherently-scattered radiation are used to characterize the volume element of the suspect object.
Claims27
A method for inspecting an enclosure, the method comprising:
- a. irradiating the enclosure with penetrating radiation emanating from a source;
- b. detecting radiation side-scattered from an object within the enclosure;
- c. locating the position of the object from the side-scattered radiation;
- d. determining whether the object is a suspect object on the basis of the side-scattered radiation;
- e. irradiating a volume element of the suspect object with penetrating radiation;
- f. detecting radiation coherently-scattered by the volume element of the suspect object in such a manner that the correspondence between a particular detector element and a given scattering angle is substantially independent of the location of the volume element of the suspect object within the enclosure;
- g. determining at least one of an energy spectrum and an angular distribution of radiation coherently-scattered by the volume element of the suspect object;
- and
- h. characterizing the volume element of the suspect object on the basis of at least one of the energy spectrum and the angular distribution of the coherently-scattered radiation.
An inspection system for characterizing an object contained within an enclosure, the system comprising:
- a. a first and a second source for producing a first and a second beam of penetrating radiation;
- b. a scanner for scanning the first beam through successive positions with respect to the enclosure;
- c. a conveyor for transporting the enclosure through the scanned first beam;
- d. a set of detectors disposed along a direction substantially parallel to the first beam, the set of detectors generating a side-scatter signal based on penetrating radiation from the first beam side-scattered by the object;
- e. a controller for identifying a position of a suspect object based at least in part upon the side-scatter signal;
- and
- f. a plurality of Bragg detectors with fields of view coinciding with a single volume element and disposed along a direction substantially transverse to the second beam for measuring at least one of an energy spectrum and an angular distribution of coherently-scattered penetrating radiation.
A method for inspecting an enclosure, the method comprising:
- a. irradiating the enclosure with a beam of penetrating radiation emanating from a source;
- b. detecting radiation side-scattered from an object within the enclosure;
- c. locating the position of the object based on the side-scattered radiation;
- d. determining whether the object is a suspect object on the basis of the side-scattered radiation;
- e. irradiating a volume element of the suspect object with penetrating radiation;
- f. detecting radiation coherently-scattered by the volume element of the suspect object into a plurality of detector elements in such a manner that the correspondence between a particular detector element of the plurality of detector elements and a given scattering angle holds uniquely for the irradiated volume element of the suspect object;
- g. determining at least one of an energy spectrum and an angular distribution of radiation coherently-scattered by the volume element of the suspect object;
- and
- h. characterizing a material composition of the volume element of the suspect object on the basis of at least one of the energy spectrum and the angular distribution of the coherently-scattered radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.