Patent ID: 9297907
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: B82Y,G01T

Claim Text:
1. A method for real time monitoring of radiation received, the method comprising: providing an array of at least two spaced apart nanostructures (NSs) that each extend between and electrically connect first and second terminals of an electrical property change value sensing mechanism, to form a closed electrical path, where the sensing mechanism senses a change value ΔEPV in a selected electrical property value EPV associated with the at least two nanostructures; providing the at least two NSs with a selected coating or dopant to functionalize the at least two NSs to respond to exposure to incident radiation by a change value ΔEPV in the electrical property value; providing or measuring at least one initial electrical parameter value EPV0 for the closed electrical path before exposure of the at least two NSs to incident radiation; exposing the at least two NSs to the incident radiation from a source of incident radiation particles having a representative particle flux φ and a representative particle energy E; measuring change values, ΔEPV(t0;t1) and ΔEPV(t0;t2), in the electrical property value EPV for measurement time intervals, t0≦t≦t1 and t0≦t≦t2, within a selected time interval t0≦t≦t3 with t0≦t1<t2≦t3, for the closed electrical path, as a result of exposure of the at least two NSs to the incident radiation; estimating a change value difference value ΔEPV(t1;t2)=ΔEPV(t0;t2)−ΔEPV(t0;t1); providing a first correspondence or mapping that relates at least one of a dose Φ(t1;t2;cum) and the particle flux φ to a time rate of change df/dt in a first fractional value f(t;unaf) (0<f(t;unaf)≦1) of the at least two NSs that have received and reacted to receipt of the incident radiation in the measurement time interval, t1≦t≦t2, in a pre-heal time interval, where healing of the NS array has not yet begun, where t0 is an initial time and f0=f(t=t0;unaf); providing a second correspondence or mapping that relates the at least one EPV change value ΔEPV(t1;t2) to a first fractional change value, Δf(t1,t2;unaf)=f(t2;unaf)−f(t1;unaf); and combining the first and second correspondences to relate dose or cumulative radiation received Φ(t1;t2;cum) by the at least two NS s in the time interval t1≦t≦t2, where healing has not yet begun, to the at least one change value ΔEPV(t1;t2), whereby, when healing has not yet begun, an estimate of cumulative radiation dose received is provided at a time no more than about 10-30 seconds after the change values, ΔEPV(t0;t1) and ΔEPV(t0;t2) are completed.