Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A detector apparatus for electromagnetic radiation originating from a source, the detector apparatus comprising:a housing;at least one multilayer disposed within the housing, the at least one multilayer defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the at least one multilayer is adapted to interact with a plurality of high-energy photons within the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, impingent from the leading edge, to permit passage of photons of at least one selected from a plurality of different energies;a first securement bracket disposed within the housing, wherein the at least one multilayer is pivotally fixed to the first securement bracket at a position adjacent to the leading edge;a second securement bracket disposed within the housing, wherein the at least one multilayer is adjustably supported by the second securement bracket at a position adjacent to the trailing edge;at least one detector disposed adjacent to the trailing edge of the at least one multilayer, wherein the detector is adapted to detect the impingent high-energy photons after interaction with the at least one multilayer; andat least one adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the second securement bracket, wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the second securement bracket to alter an angular position of the at least one multilayer wherein the at least one multilayer is oriented along a radial line extending outwardly from the source. 2. The detector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one multilayer comprises a plurality of multilayers. 3. The detector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one multilayer comprises a linearly gradient surface. 4. The detector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one multilayer comprises a radially gradient surface. 5. The detector apparatus of claim 4 wherein the at least one multilayer has a body defining a surface with a grading ratio, wherein the grading ratio follows the equation:d/d0=R/R0wherein d is a d-spacing of the multilayer at a distance R from a center point, andwherein d0 is the d-spacing at R0, which is a minimum value for the at least one multilayer. 6. The detector apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a collimating portion defined within the housing adjacent to the at least one multilayer to collimate the plurality of impingent high-energy photons after interaction with the at least one multilayer; anda plurality of collimating plates disposed in the collimating portion to facilitate collimation of the plurality of impingent high-energy photons. 7. The detector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism comprises a motor operative on the second securement bracket. 8. The detector apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a processor connected to the at least one detector to receive signals generated by the detector and generate a control signal to operate the at least one adjustment mechanism. 9. The detector apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is adapted to generate a spectrum associated with the plurality of high-energy photons. 10. The detector apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a screen disposed adjacent to the leading edge of the at least one multilayer, wherein the screen is adapted to adjust the vertical acceptance of the impingent high-energy photons. 11. The detector apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:a second adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the screen, wherein the second adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the screen. 12. A detection system, comprising:a detector apparatus includinga housing;at least one multilayer disposed within the housing, the at least one multilayer defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the at least one multilayer is adapted to interact with a plurality of high-energy photons within the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, impingent from the leading edge, to permit passage of photons of at least one selected from a plurality of different energies,a first securement bracket disposed within the housing, wherein the at least one multilayer is secured to the first securement bracket at a position adjacent to the leading edge,a second securement bracket disposed within the housing, wherein the at least one multilayer is secured to the second securement bracket at a position adjacent to the trailing edge,at least one detector disposed adjacent to the trailing edge of the at least one multilayer, wherein the detector is adapted to detect the impingent high-energy photons after interaction with the at least one multilayer, andat least one adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the second securement bracket, wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the second securement bracket to alter an angular position of the at least one multilayer;a first communication link connected to the at least one detector to transmit electrical signals from the at least one detector;a processor connected to the first communication link to receive the electrical signals from the at least one detector and generate control signals for the at least one adjustment mechanism; anda second communication link connected between the processor and the at least one adjustment mechanism. 13. The detection system of claim 12, further comprising:a signal conditioning module disposed between the at least one detector and the processor to amplify the electrical signals from the at least one detector before being transmitted to the processor. 14. The detection system of claim 12, wherein the processor is adapted to generate a spectrum associated with the plurality of high-energy photons. 15. A modular detector apparatus for electromagnetic radiation originating from a source, the modular detector apparatus comprising:a first detector module, the first detector module comprisinga first housing,at least a first multilayer disposed within the first housing, the first multilayer defining a first leading edge and a first trailing edge, wherein the first multilayer is adapted to interact with a plurality of high-energy photons within the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, impingent from the first leading edge, to permit passage of photons of at least one selected from a plurality of different energies,a first securement bracket disposed within the first housing, wherein the first multilayer is pivotally fixed to the first securement bracket at a position adjacent to the first leading edge,a second securement bracket disposed within the first housing, wherein the first multilayer is adjustably supported by the second securement bracket at a position adjacent to the first trailing edge,a first screen disposed adjacent to the first leading edge of the first multilayer, wherein the first screen is adapted to adjust the vertical acceptance of the impingent high-energy photons,at least a first detector disposed adjacent to the first trailing edge of the first multilayer, wherein the first detector is adapted to detect the impingent high-energy photons after interaction with the first multilayer;a second detector module, the second detector module comprisinga second housing,at least a second multilayer disposed within the second housing, the second multilayer defining a second leading edge and a second trailing edge, wherein the second multilayer is adapted to interact with a plurality of high-energy photons within the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, impingent from the second leading edge, to permit passage of photons of at least one selected from a plurality of different energies,a third securement bracket disposed within the second housing, wherein the second multilayer is pivotally fixed to the third securement bracket at a position adjacent to the second leading edge,a fourth securement bracket disposed within the second housing, wherein the second multilayer is adjustably supported by the fourth securement bracket at a position adjacent to the second trailing edge,a second screen disposed adjacent to the second leading edge of the second multilayer, wherein the second screen is adapted to adjust the vertical acceptance of the impingent high-energy photons,at least a second detector disposed adjacent to the fourth trailing edge of the second multilayer, wherein the second detector is adapted to detect the impingent high-energy photons after interaction with the second multilayer;a screen adjustment mechanism operatively connected to one of the first screen and the second screen;a screen connector configured to couple the first screen and second screen providing, in cooperation with the screen adjustment mechanism, synchronized movement of the first screen and the second screen;an adjustment mechanism connected to one of the second securement bracket and the fourth securement bracket; anda ring connector configured to couple the second securement bracket and the fourth securement bracket providing, in cooperation with the adjustment mechanism, synchronized movement of the second securement bracket and the fourth securement bracket allowing adjustment of the position of the second securement bracket and the fourth securement bracket to alter an angular position of the first multilayer and the second multilayer wherein the first multilayer is oriented along a first radial line extending outwardly from the source and second multilayer is oriented along a second radial line extending outwardly from the source. 16. The modular detector apparatus of claim 15 wherein one of the first multilayer and the second multilayer has a body defining a surface with a grading ratio, wherein the grading ratio follows the equation:d/d0=R/R0wherein d is a d-spacing of the multilayer at a distance R from a center point, andwherein d0 is the d-spacing at R0, which is a minimum value for the at least one multilayer. 17. A method for detecting at least a portion of a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation comprising:positioning at least one detector at a predetermined distance from an electromagnetic radiation source, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source emits at least X-rays and the at least one detector detects at least the X-rays;positioning at least one graded multilayer between the at least one detector and the electromagnetic radiation source, wherein the at least one graded multilayer interacts with the X-rays to permit X-rays with first predetermined energies to pass to the at least one detector and wherein the at least one multilayer has a body defining a surface with a grading ratio, wherein the grading ratio follows the equation:d/d0=R/R0wherein d is a d-spacing of the multilayer at a distance R from a center point, andwherein d0 is the d-spacing at R0, which is a minimum value for the at least one multilayer;detecting a first quantity of X-rays with the first predetermined energies by the detector;adjusting the position of the at least one graded multilayer to permit X-rays with second predetermined energies, different from the first predetermined energies, to pass to the at least one detector; anddetecting a second quantity of X-rays with the second predetermined energies by the detector. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:iteratively repeating the adjusting of the position of the at least one graded multilayer and the detecting of a quantity of X-rays until a spectrum spanning a predetermined range of predetermined X-ray energies is collected. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the detector is at least one selected from a group comprising a proportional counter, a scintillation counter, an ionization chamber, and a solid-state detector. 20. A method for detecting at least a portion of a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation comprising:positioning at least one detector at a predetermined distance from an electromagnetic radiation source, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source emits at least X-rays and the at least one detector detects at least the X-rays;positioning at least one graded multilayer between the at least one detector and the electromagnetic radiation source, wherein the at least one graded multilayer interacts with the X-rays to permit X-rays with first predetermined energies to pass to the at least one detector;mounting a first edge of the at least one graded multilayer on a first radius line;mounting a second edge of the at least one graded multilayer on a second radius line;mounting a first edge of at least a second graded multilayer on the first radius line;mounting a second edge of at least the second graded multilayer on the second radius line;wherein the first radius line and the second radius line are concentric, with a common center point at the electromagnetic radiation source;positioning a plurality of adjustable beam entrance slits between the electromagnetic radiation source and the at least one graded multilayer and the second graded multilayer, wherein the plurality of adjustable beam entrance slits are adapted to control the vertical and horizontal acceptance angles relative to the center point;adjusting an orientation of the at least one graded multilayer and the second graded multilayer to maintain an angular relationship between the multilayers; andwherein adjusting the orientation comprises moving the second edges of the multilayers while maintaining the first edges in a stationary position;detecting a first quantity of X-rays with the first predetermined energies by the detector;adjusting the position of the at least one graded multilayer to permit X-rays with second predetermined energies, different from the first predetermined energies, to pass to the at least one detector; anddetecting a second quantity of X-rays with the second predetermined energies by the detector. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:iteratively repeating the adjusting of the position of the at least one graded multilayer and the detecting of a quantity of X-rays until a spectrum spanning a predetermined range of predetermined X-ray energies is collected. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the detector is at least one selected from a group comprising a proportional counter, a scintillation counter, an ionization chamber, and a solid-state detector.