Patent ID: 7693262
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a potential item of interest in a target sample, the method comprising: a) providing a first source of photons with an energy spectrum that overlaps a nuclear resonance in the item of interest, wherein the photons from the first source are generated by at least one of: Compton scattering of photons by electrons; passage of a beam of electrons through a periodic lattice; and a particle-induced reaction in a nucleus, and wherein the first source photon frequency is tuned to a specific energy of interest; b) illuminating the target sample with photons from the first source; c) providing at least one photon detector to measure an intensity of photons scattered from at least a portion of the target sample in at least one energy channel; and d) identifying an item of interest detection event upon the intensity of photons detected in at least one of the at least one energy channels of interest meeting a predetermined item of interest detection criterion.