Adaptive cargo inspection based on multi-energy betatron
First Claim
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1. A system for cargo inspection comprising:
- a betatron accelerating a beam of electrons internal to said betatron;
a Bremsstrahlung conversion target located internal to said betatron and positioned to overlap the path of said beam of electrons at a specific electron orbit;
said beam of electrons producing a beam of X-rays when said electron beam interacts with said Bremsstrahlung conversion target;
a collimator rigidly attached to said betatron and positioned between said betatron and said cargo forming a fan beam of said beam of X-rays incident upon said cargo wherein said cargo is sampled in a slice bounded by said fan beam of said beam of X-rays;
a variable magnetic field generator proximal to said betatron producing a time dependent magnetic field internal to said betatron wherein said magnetic field modifies the electron orbits near the Bremsstrahlung conversion target;
a first modification to said time dependent field internal such that said electron beam partially intercepts radially said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a first pulse of X-rays with a first end-point energy;
a second modification to said time dependent field internal following said first modification such that said electron beam continues to circulate within said betatron but does not intercept said Bremsstrahlung conversion target;
a radiation detector positioned distal from said betatron and intercepting said first pulse of X-rays and receiving the part of the first pulse of X-rays that pass through said cargo;
a third modification to said time dependent field internal following said second modification such that said electron beam intercepts said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a second pulse of X-rays with a second end-point energy;
said radiation detector receiving the part of the second pulse of X-rays that pass through said cargo from said second pulse of X-rays;
wherein said first pulse of X-rays and said second pulse of X-rays are generated from the same acceleration cycle of said betatron;
said cargo translated relative to said fan beam of said beam of X-rays and perpendicular to the plane of said fan beam of X-rays and repeating first and second pulse production and measurement for subsequent inspection slices of said cargo;
a processor for receiving data from said radiation detector;
said processor using said data to derive relative attenuation of said first pulse of X-ray and said second pulse of X-rays transmitted through said cargo, said relative attenuation computed for each said first and said second pulse of said penetrating radiation transmitted through said cargo; and
said processor deriving a material characteristic of multiple sections of said cargo.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus for cargo inspection and, more particularly, to X-ray based inspection systems providing radiographic imaging and material discrimination with adaptive control of X-ray source dependent upon characteristics of the cargo under inspection. X-rays are generated utilizing a dual energy interlaced betatron by generation of X-ray pulses with lower- and higher-energies during the same betatron acceleration cycle.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for cargo inspection comprising:
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a betatron accelerating a beam of electrons internal to said betatron; a Bremsstrahlung conversion target located internal to said betatron and positioned to overlap the path of said beam of electrons at a specific electron orbit; said beam of electrons producing a beam of X-rays when said electron beam interacts with said Bremsstrahlung conversion target; a collimator rigidly attached to said betatron and positioned between said betatron and said cargo forming a fan beam of said beam of X-rays incident upon said cargo wherein said cargo is sampled in a slice bounded by said fan beam of said beam of X-rays; a variable magnetic field generator proximal to said betatron producing a time dependent magnetic field internal to said betatron wherein said magnetic field modifies the electron orbits near the Bremsstrahlung conversion target; a first modification to said time dependent field internal such that said electron beam partially intercepts radially said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a first pulse of X-rays with a first end-point energy; a second modification to said time dependent field internal following said first modification such that said electron beam continues to circulate within said betatron but does not intercept said Bremsstrahlung conversion target; a radiation detector positioned distal from said betatron and intercepting said first pulse of X-rays and receiving the part of the first pulse of X-rays that pass through said cargo; a third modification to said time dependent field internal following said second modification such that said electron beam intercepts said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a second pulse of X-rays with a second end-point energy; said radiation detector receiving the part of the second pulse of X-rays that pass through said cargo from said second pulse of X-rays; wherein said first pulse of X-rays and said second pulse of X-rays are generated from the same acceleration cycle of said betatron; said cargo translated relative to said fan beam of said beam of X-rays and perpendicular to the plane of said fan beam of X-rays and repeating first and second pulse production and measurement for subsequent inspection slices of said cargo; a processor for receiving data from said radiation detector; said processor using said data to derive relative attenuation of said first pulse of X-ray and said second pulse of X-rays transmitted through said cargo, said relative attenuation computed for each said first and said second pulse of said penetrating radiation transmitted through said cargo; and said processor deriving a material characteristic of multiple sections of said cargo. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A multi-energy betatron comprising:
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a betatron accelerating a beam of electrons internal to said betatron; said betatron having a distal exit port for accelerated electrons; a variable magnetic field generator internal to said betatron producing a time dependent magnetic field internal to said betatron wherein said magnetic field modifies the electron orbits near the distal radii of said betatron; a first modification to said time dependent magnetic field internal to said betatron modifying the electron orbits such that said electron beam partially intercepts radially said distal exit port producing a first pulse of electrons with a lower energy and said electron beam partially bypasses said distal exit port; said time dependent field internal to said betatron modifying the electron orbits such that said electron beam intercepts said distal exit port producing a second pulse of electrons with a higher energy; wherein said first pulse of electrons and said second pulse of electrons are generated from the same acceleration cycle of said betatron.
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19. A multi-energy X-ray generation system comprising:
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a betatron accelerating a beam of electrons internal to said betatron; a Bremsstrahlung conversion target located internal to said betatron and positioned to overlap the path of said beam of electrons at a specific electron orbit; said beam of electrons producing a beam of X-rays when said electron beam interacts with said Bremsstrahlung conversion target; a variable magnetic field generator internal to said betatron producing a time dependent magnetic field internal to said betatron wherein said magnetic field modifies the electron orbits near the Bremsstrahlung conversion target; said time dependent field internal to said betatron modifying the electron orbits such that said electron beam partially intercepts radially said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a first pulse of X-rays with a lower end-point energy and said electron beam partially bypasses said Bremsstrahlung conversion target; said time dependent field internal to said betatron modifying the electron orbits such that said electron beam intercepts said Bremsstrahlung conversion target producing a second pulse of X-rays with a higher end-point energy; wherein said first pulse of X-rays and said second pulse of X-rays are generated from the same acceleration cycle of said betatron.
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Specification