Patent ID: 8541756

Claim:
A system for interrogating an object, the system comprising: a single linear accelerator configured to generate first and second electron beams respectively having first and second energies; first and second targets; a magnet configured to control irradiation of the first and second targets by the first and second electron beams; and a controller in operable communication with the linear accelerator and with the magnet, the controller configured to: (a) cause the linear accelerator to generate the first electron beam at a first time and cause the magnet to direct the first electron beam to the first target so as to generate a first X-ray beam that has a first X-ray energy and irradiates the object; and (b) cause the linear accelerator to generate the second electron beam at a second time and cause the magnet to direct the second electron beam to the second target so as to generate a neutron beam that irradiates the object.