Mixed radiation environments including nuclear reactors, medical facilities, defense operations, and space missions demand precise measurement of both neutron and gamma radiation. Yet most dosimetry systems require multiple detectors, struggle to separate radiation types, and introduce costly complexity. The result: inaccurate dose measurements and serious safety risks. A simpler, more reliable solution is long overdue.
This technology provides a unified solution for measuring mixed radiation fields by using crystalline alanine as a single detector material. It leverages Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to quantify gamma radiation through stable free radical formation, while X-ray Diffraction (XRD) is used to detect neutron-induced changes in the crystal lattice structure. This distinction allows accurate and independent measurement of both radiation types within one system, eliminating the need for multiple detectors and complex setups. Additionally, the detector retains long-term changes, enabling archival storage of radiation exposure data for later analysis. This approach simplifies radiation monitoring, improves measurement accuracy, and supports compact, deployable designs suitable for medical, nuclear, and defense applications.
This graph shows how alanine changes after radiation. The X-axis represents the angle of X-rays, and the Y-axis shows signal strength. Changes in the peaks help detect radiation.