The invention detects massive particles, which are invisible to contemporary particle detectors employing electro-magnetic sensors. The apparatus contains a mechanical sensor detecting massive particles via their influence on mechanical motion of sensor constituent atoms causing changes in sensor characteristics. The apparatus may include said sensor made of crystal or condensed-matter attached as a bob at the end of a pendulum that starts swinging when massive particles hit it. The star-source emitting massive particles is located by finding a space direction from which the particles arrive and produce the changes in said sensor position and physical characteristics. Energy is harvested by using changes in sensor energetic characteristics including mechanical motion, electromagnetic potential, thermal or other reactions. The invented sensor has directly detected massive particles from the Sun, central region of our Galaxy, and the star Deneb. The average mass-energy of solar massive particles is 3.1.sub.−1.sup.+1.2×10.sup.15 eV and mass-energy density near Earth ˜0.78 GeV/cm.sup.3.

A scintillation block detector employs an array of optically air coupled scintillation pixels, the array being wrapped in reflector material and optically coupled to an array of silicon photomultiplier light sensors with common-cathode signal timing pickoff and individual anode signal position and energy determination. The design features afford an optimized combination of photopeak energy event sensitivity and timing, while reducing electronic circuit complexity and power requirements, and easing necessary fabrication methods. Four of these small blocks, or “miniblocks,” can be combined as optically and electrically separated quadrants of a larger single detector in order to recover detection efficiency that would otherwise be lost due to scattering between them. Events are validated for total energy by summing the contributions from the four quadrants, while the trigger is generated from either the timing signal of the quadrant with the highest energy deposition, the first timing signal derived from the four quadrant time-pickoff signals, or a statistically optimum combination of the individual quadrant event times, so as to maintain good timing for scatter events. This further reduces the number of electronic channels required per unit detector area while avoiding the timing degradation characteristic of excessively large SiPM arrays.

The present specification describes a system for synchronizing a transmission detector and a backscatter detector integrated with a portable X-ray scanner. The system includes a transmitter connected with the transmission detector for transmitting the analog detector signal and a receiver connected with the scanner for receiving the transmitted analog detected signal where the transmitter and the receiver operate in the ultra-high frequency range.

In order to improve both spatial resolution and sensitivity for brain research and clinical activity, we have designed a combined PET/MRI insert for brain scanning, referred to herein as a “BrainPET insert” that can be fit onto and into a suitable MRI system. The BrainPET Insert comprises, in order, a receive (Rx) coil positioned within and adjacent to a transmit (Tx) coil and a PET ring, wherein both the Rx coil and the Tx coil are within the PET ring.

According to one embodiment, a particle detector is disclosed. The particle detector includes a substrate, and detection regions provided on the substrate and insulated from the substrate. Each of the detection regions includes superconducting strips having a longitudinal direction and configured for detecting a particle, and the superconducting strips are arranged in arrangement directions differing between the detection regions. The numbers of particles detected by the respective detection regions are used to generate accumulated detection number profiles of particles in the arrangement directions of the superconducting strips of the respective detection regions, and each of the accumulated detection number profiles includes a profile obtained by accumulating the numbers of particles detected by the respective superconducting strips along the longitudinal direction.

A particle detection device of an embodiment includes: a detector including a plurality of superconducting strips, and detecting a particle generated from a particle generation source; a conversion mechanism including a plurality of channels provided for the respective superconducting strips, and converting an analog signal from a corresponding one of the superconducting strips into a digital signal; an aggregation mechanism including a circuit which receives an output from the conversion mechanism; a first temperature maintaining portion maintaining a first temperature equal to or lower than a superconducting transition temperature; a first low-temperature container housing the first temperature maintaining portion; and a vacuum container housing the conversion mechanism and the first low-temperature container, and including an opening, the detector being housed in the first low-temperature container, and being connected to the first temperature maintaining portion, and the conversion mechanism being maintained at a temperature not lower than the first temperature.

The present specification describes a system for synchronizing a transmission detector and a backscatter detector integrated with a portable X-ray scanner. The system includes a transmitter connected with the transmission detector for transmitting the analog detector signal and a receiver connected with the scanner for receiving the transmitted analog detected signal where the transmitter and the receiver operate in the ultra-high frequency range.

A particle detector according to one embodiment includes: superconductive lines, conductive lines, insulating films, a first detection circuit, and a second detection circuit. The superconductive lines extend in a first direction and are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The conductive lines extend in a third direction different from the first direction and are arranged in a fourth direction intersecting the third direction. The insulating films are each interposed at an intersection point between one of the superconductive lines and one of the conductive lines. The first detection circuit detects a voltage change occurring in the superconductive lines. The second detection circuit detects a current or a voltage generated in the conductive lines when the voltage change occurs.

Herein provided is a radiation dosimeter and associated systems and methods. The radiation dosimeter comprises a light source configured for producing an input optical signal; a resonant cavity coupled to the light source for receiving the input optical signal, the resonant cavity configured for containing a fluid and for producing an output optical signal from the input optical signal indicative of a radiation dose absorbed by the fluid; and a light detector coupled to the optical fiber for obtaining the output optical signal.

To optimize image quality and/or sensitivity, a Compton camera is adaptable. The scatter and/or catcher detectors may move closer to and/or further away from a patient and/or each other. This adaptation allows a balancing of image quality and sensitivity by altering the geometry.