An X-ray sensor (1) having an active detector region including a plurality of detector diodes (2) arranged on a surface region (3) of the X-ray sensor (1), a junction termination (4) surrounding the surface area (3) including the plurality of detector diodes (2), the junction termination (4) including a guard (5) arranged closest to the end of the surface region (3), a field stop (6) arranged outside the guard (2) and a number N of field limiting rings, FLRs (7) arranged between the guard (5) and the field stop (6), wherein each of the FLRs (7) are placed at positions selected so that distances between different FLRs (7) and between the guard and the first FLR lie within an effective area, the effective area being bounded by the lines =(10+1.3(n1)) m and =(5+1.05(n1)) m.

A method of determining at least one x-ray scanning system geometric property includes the steps of positioning a calibration device inside a scanning chamber of the scanning device, the chamber being intersected by at least one fan beam of x-rays during a scanning operation, measuring a distance between the calibration device and at least one inner wall of the chamber, scanning the calibration device to produce an image of the calibration device, identifying pixels representing the a geometric feature of the calibration device in the image, determining a position and orientation of the pixels representing the geometric feature in the image and, determining a scanning system property based on the position and orientation of the pixels representing the geometric feature in the image. The position and orientation of the feature in the scanning chamber and the x-ray scanning system property may be determined simultaneously.

Embodiments of the disclosed system and method provide for generating a multiple-energy X-ray pulse. A beam of electrons is generated with an electron gun and modulated prior to injection into an accelerating structure to achieve at least a first and second specified beam current amplitude over the course of respective beam current temporal profiles. A radio frequency field is applied to the accelerating structure with a specified RF field amplitude and a specified RF temporal profile. The first and second specified beam current amplitudes are injected serially, each after a specified delay, in such a manner as to achieve at least two distinct energies of electrons accelerated within the accelerating structure during a course of a single RF-pulse. The beam of electrons is accelerated by the radio frequency field within the accelerating structure to produce accelerated electrons which impinge upon a target for generating Bremsstrahlung X-rays.

An x-ray scanning system, and corresponding method, includes an x-ray source that produces incident x-ray radiation having end-point x-ray energy, which, in various embodiments, can be greater than about 200 keV, between about 200 keV and about 500 keV, or greater than about 500 keV. The system also includes a disk chopper wheel that can be irradiated by and attenuate the incident x-ray radiation. The disk chopper wheel further defines one or more slits configured to pass the incident x-ray radiation through the disk chopper wheel for scanning a target. In some embodiments, the high end-point x-ray energies with disk chopper wheels are facilitated by forming the incident x-ray radiation as a collimated fan beam and/or orienting the chopper wheel with a wheel plane substantially non-perpendicular to a fan beam plane, increasing effective thickness of a disk chopper wheel to attenuate incident x-rays of higher energies.

The present invention relates a security screening device, comprising: a radiation generator for respectively generating X-rays and neutron beams and irradiating same toward an inspection object; an inspection object transfer unit for changing the position of the inspection object; a radiation detector configured to respectively detect X-rays and neutron beams transmitted through the inspection object; and a gamma ray detector installed adjacent to the inspection object and configured to detect a gamma signal generated from the inspection object, wherein the radiation detector acquires image information of the inspection object by using radiation information detected from the X-rays and neutron beams that have passed through the inspection object, and the gamma ray detector analyzes the detected gamma ray to detect the location of the inspection object from the analysis of the inspection object and the image information.

There is presented a screening system and a corresponding method for screening an item. The screening system includes a detection apparatus (100), a rotatable platform (310) to receive the item, and a mechanical arrangement (320, 330). The detection apparatus has an emitter portion to generate a primary beam of ionising radiation and a detector portion to detect an absorption signal and at least one of a diffraction signal and a scattering signal. The mechanical arrangement is adapted to translate the detection apparatus along a translation axis to scan the item with the primary beam. The screening system may be used for identifying restricted or illicit substances that may be present in some luggage or in mail.

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward systems and methods relating to security screening. For example, a screening system includes a chamber configured to accommodate a user to be screened, and a chamber scanner. The chamber scanner is configured to scan the user to identify whether the user is carrying an undivested item that needs to be divested. The chamber is configured to release the user to proceed from the chamber to a secure area, upon confirmation that no undivested items are to be divested.

There is presented a screening system and a corresponding method for screening an item. The screening system includes a detection apparatus (100), a rotatable platform (310) to receive the item, and a mechanical arrangement (320, 330). The detection apparatus has an emitter portion to generate a primary beam of ionising radiation and a detector portion to detect an absorption signal and at least one of a diffraction signal and a scattering signal. The mechanical arrangement is adapted to translate the detection apparatus along a translation axis to scan the item with the primary beam. The screening system may be used for identifying restricted or illicit substances that may be present in some luggage or in mail.

A device and method for material characterization are provided. In one aspect, the method includes detecting packets of radiation emanating from within or passing through one or more items of freight or baggage as a result of irradiation by incident radiation, using a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors being configured to produce an electrical pulse caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets. The method further includes processing each of the electrical pulses using one or more digital processors to determine the characteristic size or shape, generating a screening detector energy spectrum for each of the detectors of the energies of the packets detected, and measuring an effective atomic number Z of an unknown material associated with the one or more items of freight or baggage based on the screening detector energy spectra in comparison with calibration measurements.

A sample inspection system contains a source of electromagnetic radiation and an apparatus that includes a beam former, a collimator and an energy resolving detector. The beam former is adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the source to provide a polygonal shell beam formed of at least three walls of electromagnetic radiation. The collimator has a plurality of channels adapted to receive diffracted or scattered radiation at an angle. The energy resolving detector is arranged to detect radiation diffracted or scattered by a sample upon incidence of the polygonal shell beam onto the sample and transmitted by the collimator.