Patent ID: 6205195
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G01N,G01T,G01V

Abstract:
An apparatus for analyzing radiation emitted by an object in response to nuclear interrogation, the apparatus comprising:a radiation detector for detecting radiation emitted by the object in response to nuclear interrogation by a source of excitation energy and for producing detection signals responsive to the radiation;the excitation energy source interacting with atomic nuclei of the elements contained within the object to product radiation characteristic of the elements contained within the object;a coded aperture system having at least one coded aperture array of a predetermined configuration, positioned such that the emitted radiation is detected by the detector after passage through the coded aperture system; anda data processor for characterizing at least one characteristic of the object, the characteristic being indicated by the origin, amount and energy spectra of the radiation emitted from within the object, as determined by detection signals produced by the detector, and the predetermined configuration of the coded aperture array.