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Completed TRL 6 (started at 4, targeting 6)
Radiation detectors that sense gamma and neutron radiation are critical to the exploration of planetary surface composition. Among the key technological challenges is to have a suitable detector that not only can be used for both gamma ray and neutron detection, but also satisfy the many highly desirable and essential for spaceflight properties: good energy resolution, high efficiency, high radiation tolerance, low power consumption, low volume, low weight and operation without cryogenic cooling. We propose a room temperature semiconductor detector (RTSD) using a single material that can detect both gamma radiation and neutron particles. The novel materials we propose are mercurous halides, Hg2X2 (X=Cl, Br) - mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2) and mercurous bromide (Hg2Br2). The development of these spectroscopy grade mercury halide-based radiation detectors are especially relevant to future NASA missions to any solid body in the solar system, including the Moon, terrestrial planets, asteroids, comets, and the moons of the other planets. Our goal is to deliver a breakthrough in detector technology that can lead to spectrometers that are capable of performing both gamma and neutron spectroscopy.
The ultimate goal of this research work is to build and demonstrate a space-borne spectrometer system that can perform both gamma and neutron spectroscopy. The parameters of the spectrometer system (including electronics) will be designed to meet the criteria necessary for the intended application of planetary exploration. This technology is relevant to missions equipped with -robot-based in-situ measurement systems, such as Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM), Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM) and any post-2020 Mars-lander, where low payload (no more than 1 kg) is mandatory. This technology is also very beneficial to any mission where the study of radiation environment is important to the -human side, -such as MARS 2020. LunaH-MAP and similar missions will also be able to leverage such SBIR/STTR technology to develop a low cost instrument to find water on planetary bodies.
Commercial applications include elemental analysis, explosive detection, medical diagnostics, x-ray imaging, seismic activity detection, and radiation monitoring. The detection and identification of radionuclides from atmospheric nuclear tests has obvious military applications such as detection of nuclear non-proliferation, treaty verification, and nuclear materials control. Another application for which this technology can be useful is that of commercial space development, particularly asteroid mining. A gamma/neutron spectrometer would be very well suited for the detection of possible valuable material in these objects. New legislation has even included a provision that gives individuals or companies ownership in any material that they -mine- from these objects. This could open up a new market for these spectrometers within the global radiation detector market.
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