Radioactivity analysis

• US 2,938,119 A
• Filed: 10/08/1956
• Issued: 05/24/1960
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1956
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alexander S. Mckay
• Original Assignee: Alexander S. Mckay
• Inventors: Mckay, Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US03/614,718
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• US Class Current: 250/380
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/0745 neutron-gamma activation analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/303 calibrating, standardising
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/222 using neutron activation analysis [NAA]

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING A MEDIUM CAPABLE OF THERMALIZING FAST NEUTRONS FOR THE PRESENCE THEREIN OF A CERTAIN CONSTITUENT COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR SAID MEDIUM, A SOURCE OF FAST NEUTRONS ADAPTED AND ARRANGED TO DIRECT A BEAM OF NEUTRONS INTO AT LEAST A SAMPLE OF THE MEDIUM WITHIN THE CONTAINER AND GAMMA RAY DETECTION APPARATUS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID CONTAINER AND ADAPTED AND ARRANGED TO DETECT GAMMA RAYS PRODUCED IN THE MEDIUM DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF SAID CONSTITUENT, SAID CONTAINER BEING FORMED OF AN OUTER LAYER COMPRISED OF MATERIAL HAVING A SIGNIFICANT GAMMA RAY RESPONSE DUE TO INTERACTION WITH THERMAL NEUTRONS AND AN INNER LAYER OF MATERIAL CHARACTERIZED BY A RELATIVELY HIGH THERMAL NEUTRON CAPTURE CROSS-SECTION AND RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT ATTENDANT GAMMA RAY EMISSION IN RESPONSE TO THE CAPTURE OF THERMAL NEUTRONS.