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An Array of Silicon-based Direction-Sensitive Detectors for Imaging the Gamma-Ray Background

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Contract: W911NF-06-C-0122
Agency Tracking Number: A064-016-0303
Amount: $98,224.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: A06-T016
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2006-08-07
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2007-02-03
Small Business Information
5714 West 71st Pl
Arvada, CO 80003
United States
DUNS: 614133903
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Byron Wells
 (303) 335-7688
 wells@galtresearch.com
Business Contact
 Byron Wells
Title: Manager
Phone: (303) 335-7688
Email: wells@galtresearch.com
Research Institution
 UNIV. OF MICHIGAN
 Tom Zdeba
 
3003 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States

 (734) 764-7250
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

A gamma ray camera, based principally on position-sensitive silicon detectors, is proposed as a means to imaging the radioactive materials in the background. In order to maximize its utility, the background imager should be able to sense environmental alterations out to reasonable ranges, be of relatively low cost so that it can be widely deployed, and finally, it should have a large active volume so that statistical fluctuations in the count do not out-compete the environmental fluctuations of interest. In general, the qualities “low cost” and “large volume” are mutually exclusive, especially if the solid-state detectors with the best energy and spatial resolution are deployed; however, if batch-processed silicon-based detectors can be deployed, then greater detector areas can be realized, at the cost of mass attenuation and absorption probability. We will compensate for the reduced differential detection efficiency by building layers of silicon detectors, in which each individual component detector will be 3D position-sensitive, in which the interaction depth is sensed via drift time measurements, and the 2D lateral position measured via charge sharing techniques. The silicon scatter layers will be coupled with position-sensitive scintillator sensors that we are currently developing, if a high Z, high-density stopping detector is required.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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