The State of Israel, Atomic Energy Commission, Soreq Nuclear Research

Drora Kedem

Yosef Eisen

Emanuel Yellin

Method and apparatus for the fast inspection of objects for the detection of elementary or compounded metals of the kind that are capable of producing with impinging X-radiation within the range of 60-160 KeV a detectable photoelectric interaction. A 110-160 KeV X-ray source is used in association with collimating and filtering apparatus, capable of generating a collimated X-ray beam consisting of repeating cycles comprising each one energy bin having a flux centred around the K-edge energy of the target metal and, if desired, comprising additionl energy bins. There is also provided a linear array of solid state, spectroscopy grade detectors. Objects to be searched for these metals are scanned by moving them across the beam at a location intermediary between the X-ray source and the detector, at a speed so selected that during each of the predetermined pixels the full energy range of the said cycle impinges a full cross-section of an inspected object without any mutual dislocation between said X-ray source and linear array of solid state, spectroscopy grade detectors. For each pixel the intensity of transmitted radiation of selected bands is recorded and the ratios of the transmitted radiation in these bands is determined. The results are processed to an image of any detected article.

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Rehovot, Israel

Drora Kedem