A method and system are disclosed to determine a concentration of one or more target elements in a sample, using gamma activation analysis comprising: simultaneously irradiating the sample and a reference material containing at least two reference elements X-rays, detecting deactivation gamma-rays from the irradiated sample and the irradiated reference material; determining the concentration of the or each target element in the sample by correcting the number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from any of the or each target element present in the irradiated sample based on the number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the at least two reference elements, wherein the at least two reference elements have a variation in activation rate over a pre-defined X-ray end-point energy range which differs from one another.

An inspection apparatus and a method of inspecting a semiconductor device are disclosed. The inspection apparatus includes a stage on which a semiconductor device is positioned, a first light source irradiating a high-frequency light onto an inspection area of the semiconductor device to reduce a potential barrier of a PN junction in the semiconductor device, a beam scanner arranged over the semiconductor device and irradiating a charged particle beam onto the inspection area of the semiconductor device to generate secondary electrons, and a defect detector generating a detection image corresponding to the inspection area and detecting, based on a voltage contrast between a reference image and a plurality of detection images, a defect image indicating a defect in the semiconductor device from among the plurality of detection images.

An inspection apparatus and a method of inspecting a semiconductor device are disclosed. The inspection apparatus includes a stage on which a semiconductor device is positioned, a first light source irradiating a high-frequency light onto an inspection area of the semiconductor device to reduce a potential barrier of a PN junction in the semiconductor device, a beam scanner arranged over the semiconductor device and irradiating a charged particle beam onto the inspection area of the semiconductor device to generate secondary electrons, and a defect detector generating a detection image corresponding to the inspection area and detecting, based on a voltage contrast between a reference image and a plurality of detection images, a defect image indicating a defect in the semiconductor device from among the plurality of detection images.

A system for analyzing soil content of a field includes a data acquisition unit configured to detect gamma spectra of each of a plurality of soil samples, wherein a surface area of the field is divided into a plurality of portions and the plurality of soil samples comprises at least one soil sample from each of the plurality of portions, a navigation unit configured to detect geographic coordinates of each of the plurality of soil samples, a data analysis unit configured to associate the detected gamma spectra of each of the plurality of soil samples with the geographic coordinates of the soil sample and determine a weight percent of at least one element within each of the soil samples based on the detected gamma spectra, and an element content map unit configured to generate a map indicating concentration of the at least one element within the soil of the field.

A system for analyzing soil content of a field includes a data acquisition unit configured to detect gamma spectra of each of a plurality of soil samples, wherein a surface area of the field is divided into a plurality of portions and the plurality of soil samples comprises at least one soil sample from each of the plurality of portions, a navigation unit configured to detect geographic coordinates of each of the plurality of soil samples, a data analysis unit configured to associate the detected gamma spectra of each of the plurality of soil samples with the geographic coordinates of the soil sample and determine a weight percent of at least one element within each of the soil samples based on the detected gamma spectra, and an element content map unit configured to generate a map indicating concentration of the at least one element within the soil of the field.

A method of processing a nuclear material for use as a nuclear fuel in a nuclear reactor is disclosed herein. The nuclear material includes a complex isotope vector including a plurality of isotopes including a targeted isotope and a non-targeted isotope. The method can include: determining a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation based, at least in part, on the targeted isotope; emitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation including the determined wavelength towards the nuclear material; separating, via the emitted beam of electromagnetic radiation, the nuclear material into a first stream and a second stream; enriching, via the emitted beam of electromagnetic radiation, a concentration of the targeted isotope to a predetermined concentration; and dispositioning, via a sensitivity to the determined wavelength, the enriched concentration of the targeted isotope to the first stream of the nuclear material; and dispositioning, via a lack of sensitivity to the determined wavelength, the non-targeted isotope to the second stream of the nuclear material.

An inspection apparatus and a method of inspecting a semiconductor device are disclosed. The inspection apparatus includes a stage on which a semiconductor device is positioned, a first light source irradiating a high-frequency light onto an inspection area of the semiconductor device to reduce a potential barrier of a PN junction in the semiconductor device, a beam scanner arranged over the semiconductor device and irradiating a charged particle beam onto the inspection area of the semiconductor device to generate secondary electrons, and a defect detector generating a detection image corresponding to the inspection area and detecting, based on a voltage contrast between a reference image and a plurality of detection images, a defect image indicating a defect in the semiconductor device from among the plurality of detection images.

An inspection apparatus and a method of inspecting a semiconductor device are disclosed. The inspection apparatus includes a stage on which a semiconductor device is positioned, a first light source irradiating a high-frequency light onto an inspection area of the semiconductor device to reduce a potential barrier of a PN junction in the semiconductor device, a beam scanner arranged over the semiconductor device and irradiating a charged particle beam onto the inspection area of the semiconductor device to generate secondary electrons, and a defect detector generating a detection image corresponding to the inspection area and detecting, based on a voltage contrast between a reference image and a plurality of detection images, a defect image indicating a defect in the semiconductor device from among the plurality of detection images.

A shielded X-ray radiation apparatus is provided comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray attenuation shield including an elongate cavity to house the X-ray source and incorporating a region to accommodate a sample, a neutron attenuation shield, and a gamma attenuation shield. The neutron attenuation shield is situated adjacent to and substantially surrounds the X-ray attenuation shield and the gamma attenuation shield is adjacent to and substantially surrounds the neutron attenuation shield. In some embodiments a removable sample insertion means is provided to insert samples into the elongate cavity and which is composed of adjacent blocks of material, each respective block having a thickness and a composition which substantially matches the thickness and a composition of one of the X-ray attenuation, neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation shields.

THIS INVENTION relates to a method of or system for detecting presence of diamond in an object. The method comprises receiving classification data associated with photons emitted from object as a result of positron annihilation due to irradiation of the object with photons of a predetermined energy at which giant dipole resonance (GDR) occurs due to a nuclear reaction between the photons and carbon. The method then comprises the step of determining whether or not the object is potentially a diamond or diamondiferous by processing the received classification data with a trained machine-based learning classifier. The system typically implements the method described herein.