SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Spectral Labs Geiger-Müller Tube Replacement (GMTR) concept will exploit small. low-cost scintillators for a gross gamma counting sensor. Since GMTR will require less production processing steps compared to GMTs, GMTR devices will be cost competitive to equivalent sensitivity compensated GMTs in full scale production. The small crystal sizes projected will result in partial deposition of photon energy in the crystal requiring external means to compensate for low energy gamma. A Phase I objective will be to establish these external compensation parameters to ensure dose rate linearity across a broad range of gamma photon energies by numerical modeling followed by building and testing of prototypes. A major element of the Phase I effort will be to provide numerical modeling to provide validation of the planned approach. The MCNP Monte Carlo code to be used cannot handle optical photons directly, so external processing is planned to capture the entire physical activity, radiological and photonic, involved in the detection processes planned. This modeling will be conducted in parallel to acquisition of required material to fabricate and test the engineering models. SLI is projecting that the size, weight, and power requirements of the GMTR will be considerably less than for comparable sensitivity GMTs.
