Patent ID: 8455835
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
1. A radiation detection system for detecting the presence and location of a radiation source, the radiation detection device comprising: at least one bundle of optical fibers, the optical fibers having different lengths, each fiber of the at least one bundle having a first end and second end, wherein the first ends share a common longitudinal location and the location of the second ends is determined by the length of each fiber, wherein each optical fiber is configured to experience different doses of radiation from a localized source, wherein shorter optical fibers are configured to received less exposure to radiation than longer optical fibers; wherein each fiber comprises a radiation sensitive material, wherein the radiation sensitive material stores energy when it receives radiation from the radiation source; at least one stimulating source for supplying stimulation to the radiation sensitive material, wherein the radiation sensitive material releases the stored energy corresponding to the radiation sensitive material's received radiation dose as a light output when it is exposed to the stimulating source, the light output providing a readout signal for each fiber, wherein the readout signal corresponds in intensity to the radiation received by each fiber from the radiation source, wherein the total energy of the radiation dose received by each fiber depends upon the fiber length; at least one optical detector for receiving the readout signal, wherein the at least one optical detector is configured to detect variations in intensity of the readout signals along the length of the bundle and determine the general location of the radiation source based on the intensity of the readout signal from different fibers of the bundle having different lengths exposed to the radiation source.