Investigation of the characteristics of a radioisotope source based on a (Y)PO4/(238Pu) self-glowing crystal and an AlxGai_ xAs/GaAs photovoltaic converter

The possibility of creating of a radioisotope source of energy based on a radio-luminescent crystal of YPO 4:Eu/(238 Pu) and AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs photovoltaic converter is demonstrated and its characteristics are analyzed. A prototype of an ecologically safe radioisotope source with low content (< 0.1%) of the 238Pu isotope, efficiency of ~1.4%, and long service life has been developed.

Simulation Study of Utilizing X-ray Tube in Monitoring Systems of Liquid Petroleum Products

Radiation-based instruments have been widely used in petrochemical and oil industries to monitor liquid products transported through the same pipeline. Different radioactive gamma-ray emitter sources are typically used as radiation generators in the instruments mentioned above. The idea at the basis of this research is to investigate the use of an X-ray tube rather than a radioisotope source as an X-ray generator: This choice brings some advantages that will be discussed. The study is performed through a Monte Carlo simulation and artificial intelligence. Here, the system is composed of an X-ray tube, a pipe including fluid, and a NaI detector. Two-by-two mixtures of four various oil products with different volume ratios were considered to model the pipe’s interface region. For each combination, the X-ray spectrum was recorded in the detector in all the simulations. The recorded spectra were used for training and testing the multilayer perceptron (MLP) models. After training, MLP neural networks could estimate each oil product’s volume ratio with a mean absolute error of 2.72 which is slightly even better than what was obtained in former studies using radioisotope sources.

Electron spectroscopy with a diamond detector

An electronic grade single crystal chemical vapour deposition diamond was investigated as a prototype high temperature spectroscopic electron (β− particle) detector for future space science instruments. The diamond detector was coupled to a custom-built charge-sensitive preamplifier of low noise. A 63Ni radioisotope source (endpoint energy 66 keV) was used to provide a spectrum of β− particles incident on the detector. The operating temperature of the detector/preamplifier assembly was controlled to allow its performance to be investigated between + 100°C and − 20°C, in 20°C steps. Monte Carlo modelling was used to: a) calculate the β− particle spectrum incident on the detector; b) calculate the fraction of β− particle energy deposited into the detector; and c) predict the β− particle spectrum accumulated by the instrument. Comparison between the model and experimental data suggested that there was a 4.5 µm thick recombination region at the front of the detector. The spectrometer was demonstrated to be fully operable at temperatures, T, -20°C ≤ T ≤ 80°C; the results suggested that some form of polarisation phenomenon occurred in the detector at > 80°C. This article presents the first report of a calibrated low energy (⪅ 50 keV) spectroscopic β− particle diamond detector.

Measurements of radiative vacancy transfer probabilities from L3 subshell to M and N subshells of Sm and Eu in halogen compounds

The radiative vacancy transfer probabilities from the L3 subshell to the M and N subshells for Sm and Eu and their compounds have been measured using L shell fluorescence yields and X-ray intensity ratios. The samples were excited by 59.5 keV γ-rays, which were emitted from an Am-241 radioisotope source. The L X-rays emitted from samples were counted by a Si(Li) detector with a resolution of 155 eV at 5.9 keV. The experimental values were compared with the calculated theoretical values for pure Sm and Eu.

Влияние малых доз гамма-излучения на оптические свойства пористого кремния

The possibility of modifying the photoluminescence properties of porous silicon by irradiation with low doses of γ photons from a ^226Ra radioisotope source and bremsstrahlung is demonstrated. The position of the longest photoluminescence wavelength tends to shift to the short-wavelength region of the spectrum. The emission efficiency increases upon irradiation of both the substrate and the layer formed.

Piezoelectric Nuclear Battery Driven by the Jet-Flow

As an important kind of energy source, radioisotope batteries are attracting more and more academic researchers and people from industry due to the high power density, long lifetime (equal to half life of the radioisotope source), outstanding reliability, without maintenance, miniaturization and wide application compared with traditional dry batteries, chemical batteries, fuel batteries and solar batteries. Radioisotope batteries have been developed for more than 15 species since the first β battery invented by Henry Mosley in 1913. Based on a Brayton cycle Radioisotope Power System and a PZT-5H (Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, 0≤x≤1) unimorph, the piezoelectric nuclear battery driven by the jet-flow (PNBJ) is demonstrated in this work. The PZT-5H unimorph replaces turbine and utilizes high speed nitrogen jet-flow heated by the decay energy of radioisotope to output electrical energy. Over 0.34% energy conversion efficiency for the PNBJ is obtained at the flow of 2.26 × 10−3 m3/s and room temperature on half plane. The PNBJ can be used in low power microelectronics and microsystems, like electronic watch, AC-LED (alternating current light-emitting diode), and sensors. We believe that the researches and applications of PNBJ will be much attractive with the breakthroughs of preparation technology made by academic and industrial world.