New patent in sight for CERN-made technology
A portable gamma and beta radiation survey meter capable of operating in a strong magnetic field is the most recent subject of a CERN patent application. Developed by members of the HSE Unit, the new instrument may find applications not only in research laboratories but also in hospitals where radioactivity is managed in the presence of magnetic fields.
The new instrument consists of two parts: an active probe and a counting unit. Inside the probe, a scintillating crystal sends its signal to a photo detection module, which in turn is connected to the electronics. The counting unit is a portable box to be fixed on the operator’s waist. Tested in a magnetic field up to 1 Tesla, this innovative radiation survey meter has an operating range of a fraction of µSv/h to 1 mSv/h for the ambient dose equivalent rate, and 45 keV – 1.3 MeV for photon energy, with a fast response. “The instrument is the result of a collaboration between CERN and the Milan Politecnico in Italy,” explains Marco Silari, member of the HSE Unit and project leader. “It was originally developed following a request from the LHC experiments, which asked the RP Group to perform radiation measurements in the experimental halls and inside the ATLAS detector without switching off the magnetic field.”
The radiation survey meter could be used in all environments where radiation is present in conjunction with magnetic fields. Indeed, the CERN-developed solution is unique, as previously available instruments could not be operated in the presence of magnetic fields. “Such a tool could be very useful for medical particle accelerators where the measurement of residual radioactivity could be performed without switching off the rest of the instrumentation,” says Silari. “In a hospital using PET and MRI imaging, in which radiation is used in a magnetic environment, our survey meter could be an essential aid to operators.”
In addition, the instrument could find applications in mineral processing, where the separation of magnetic particles is done in the presence of ferromagnetic minerals. In fact, very often, natural radioactivity is present and the potential inclusion of orphan sources may be a concern and require monitoring. Similarly, radioactive contamination needs to be monitored in the continuous casting of steel and other metals, where a magnetic field is used to ensure the quality of the casting process. For all these industrial processes, the new instrument would be the ideal solution to an old problem.
The team of CERN-Politecnico researchers has so far produced five units for internal use at CERN but the research and development phase will continue. “We have received contributions from the KT Fund and we have the full support of the HSE Unit,” explains Silari. “We are now developing a more affordable counting unit and other types of probes that could be connected to the central unit when deeper information about the radiation field is needed. We would also like to test the probe in a higher magnetic field.” Working with CERN’s Knowledge Transfer (KT) Group, the team now seeks to collaborate with industrial partners who have the necessary technical expertise and market knowledge to develop the technology into a commercial product.
The CERN KT Group has recently applied for a patent on the technology to facilitate licensing to appropriate industrial partners. “Patents are valuable assets for companies and thus when seeking an industrial partner, obtaining a patent can help facilitate collaboration to take the technology to market,” confirms Zoe Lawson, the technology transfer officer in the KT Group who is working with the project team. Initial talks with major companies have been very positive and the team hopes to find a suitable industrial partner in the near future.
