• IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing and Computing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.124-128
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• 2017

A light guide improves the spatial resolution of a gamma ray imaging system by diffusing the scintillation light. Similarly, light diffusion film, which has been applied to flat-panel-display engineering, spreads the light from the light guide panel. In this study, we adopted light diffusion film for the light guide of a gamma ray imaging system, and evaluated its diffusion characteristics. We compared the light diffusion performance of the film to an ordinary acrylic plate. As a result, the diffusion film widely spreads scintillation light. As for the thickness of the light guide, we acquired more distinct images with three films overlapped than with an acrylic plate. We expect light diffusion film to be a promising candidate for light guides in gamma ray imaging systems.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.214-225
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• 2022

Background: The conventional cerium-doped Gd₂Al₂Ga₃O₁₂ (GAGG(Ce)) scintillator-based gamma-ray imager has a bulky detector, which can lead to incorrect positioning of the gammaray source if the shielding against background radiation is not appropriately designed. In addition, portability is important in complex environments such as inside nuclear power plants, yet existing gamma-ray imager based on a tungsten mask tends to be weighty and therefore difficult to handle. Motivated by the need to develop a system that is not sensitive to background radiation and is portable, we changed the material of the scintillator and the coded aperture. Materials and Methods: The existing GAGG(Ce) was replaced with Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂ (BGO), a scintillator with high gamma-ray detection efficiency but low energy resolution, and replaced the tungsten (W) used in the existing coded aperture with lead (Pb). Each BGO scintillator is pixelated with 144 elements (12 × 12), and each pixel has an area of 4 mm × 4 mm and the scintillator thickness ranges from 5 to 20 mm (5, 10, and 20 mm). A coded aperture consisting of Pb with a thickness of 20 mm was applied to the BGO scintillators of all thicknesses. Results and Discussion: Spectroscopic characterization, imaging performance, and image quality evaluation revealed the 10 mm-thick BGO scintillators enabled the portable gamma-ray imager to deliver optimal performance. Although its performance is slightly inferior to that of existing GAGG(Ce)-based gamma-ray imager, the results confirmed that the manufacturing cost and the system's overall weight can be reduced. Conclusion: Despite the spectral characteristics, imaging system performance, and image quality is slightly lower than that of GAGG(Ce), the results show that BGO scintillators are preferable for gamma-ray imaging systems in terms of cost and ease of deployment, and the proposed design is well worth applying to systems intended for use in areas that do not require high precision.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.2572-2580
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• 2020

Emerging gamma ray detection applications that utilize neutron-based interrogation result in the prompt emission of high-energy (>2 MeV) gamma-rays. Rapid imaging is enabled by scintillators that possess high density, high atomic number, and excellent energy resolution. In this paper, we evaluate the bright (50,000 photons/MeV) oxide scintillator, cerium-doped Gd₂Al₂Ga₃O₁₂ (GAGG(Ce)). A silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array is coupled to a GAGG(Ce) scintillator array (12 × 12 pixels) and integrated into a coded-aperture based gamma-ray imaging system. A resistor-based symmetric charge division circuit was used reduce the multiplicity of the analog outputs from 144 to 4. The developed system exhibits 9.1%, 8.3%, and 8.0% FWHM energy resolutions at 511 keV, 662 keV, and 1173.2 keV, respectively. In addition, a pixel-identification resolution of 602 ㎛ FWHM was obtained from the GAGG(Ce) scintillator array.

• IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing and Computing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2017

Radioactive materials are used in medicine, non-destructive testing, and nuclear plants. Source localization is especially important during nuclear decommissioning and decontamination because the actual location of the radioactive source within nuclear waste is often unknown. The coded-aperture imaging technique started with space exploration and moved into X-ray and gamma ray imaging, which have imaging process characteristics similar to each other. In this study, we simulated $21{\times}21$ and $37{\times}37$ coded aperture collimators based on a modified uniformly redundant array (MURA) pattern to make a gamma imaging system that can localize a gamma-ray source. We designed a $21{\times}21$ coded aperture collimator that matches our gamma imaging detector and did feasibility experiments with the coded aperture imaging system. We evaluated the performance of each collimator, from 2 mm to 10 mm thicknesses (at 2 mm intervals) using root mean square error (RMSE) and sensitivity in a simulation. In experimental results, the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the point source was $5.09^{\circ}$ at the center and $4.82^{\circ}$ at the location of the source was $9^{\circ}$. We will continue to improve the decoding algorithm and optimize the collimator for high-energy gamma rays emitted from a nuclear power plant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.944-945
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• 2016

Gamma-ray Detector for gamma-ray imaging device is composed of a shielding body for shielding gamma-rays incident from the radiation source. Distribution of the gamma ray can be represented by the distribution information on the direction in which the detecting section and the signal through the incident hole of collimator. The role of the shield is important because all signals should be treated as noise except for the signal from the incident hole.In this paper In this paper, we have produced a compact, lightweight and Collimator shield by changing the structure and physical properties with respect to the collimator and shielding of lead-based gamma-ray detectors. And we analyzed the shielding effectiveness relative to the incident gamma ray sphere measured signal value through the gamma irradiation test facility. The results confirmed that the production and Collimator shielding the imaging device Implementing more efficient to implement.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.197-203
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• 2015

Nuclear power plant has increased continuously for power production in all over the world and the interest about nuclear accident and the dismantling of aging nuclear power plant has been a growing. The leaked radioactive source that is generated by radiation accidents must detect and remove to minimized the damage as soon as possible. Gamma-ray detection system that have been developed until now cannot provide the precise position of radioactive sources because they detect and imaging the position of radiation sources in just two dimensions. In this paper, stereo gamma ray detection system has developed and the algorithm for calculation of the distance has implemented to be able to measure the distribution of the leakage gamma ray source for the system. Stereo camera calibration for distance detection was conducted with the correction pattern and LED light and we carried out performance test of the system for the LED light source and a gamma ray source. In both experiments the results of the performance test, it was confirmed to have a 5% error. The results of this paper is used as a material for the development of gamma-ray imaging device.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.7
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• pp.1450-1455
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• 2009

Assumed that an IPTV camera system is to be used as an ad-hoc sensor for the surveillance and diagnostics of safety-critical equipments installed in the in-containment building of the nuclear power plant, an major problem is the presence of high dose-rate gamma irradiation fields inside the one. In order to uses an IPTV camera in such intense gamma radiation environment of the in-containment building, the radiation-weakened devices including a CCD imaging sensor, FPGA, ASIC and microprocessors are to be properly shielded from high dose-rate gamma radiation using the high-density material, lead or tungsten. But the passive elements such as mirror, lens and window, which are placed in the optical path of the CCD imaging sensor, are exposed to a high dose-rate gamma ray source directly. So, the gamma-ray irradiation characteristics of the passive elements, is needed to test. A CCD camera lens, made of glass material, have been gamma irradiated at the dose rate of 4.2 kGy/h during an hour up to a total dose of 4 kGy. The radiation induced color-center in the glass lens is observed. The degradation performance of the gamma irradiated lens is explained using an color component analysis.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.202-207
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• 2015

As a feasibility study on development of a gamma imaging probe, we developed a scintillating film-based gamma imaging detector that can obtain scintillation images with information of gamma-ray distribution. The scintillating film-based gamma imaging detector was composed of a sensing probe, an image intensifier, and a beam profiler. To detect and transmit scintillation image, the sensing probe was fabricated by coupling a scintillating film, a fiber-optic image conduit, and a fiber-optic taper, consecutively. First, the optical images of USAF 1951 resolution target were obtained and then, modulation transfer function values were calculated to test the image quality of the sensing probe. Second, we measured the scintillation images according to the activity of the 137Cs and the distance between the surface of 137Cs and the distal-end of sensing probe. Finally, the intensities of scintillating light as functions of the activity and the distance were evaluated from the region of interest in the scintillation image. From the results of this study, it is expected that a fiber-optic gamma imaging detector can be developed to detect gamma-rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals during radioimmunoguided surgery.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.773-774
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• 2016

In this study, we perform the weight reduction and miniaturization of the shielding element that is applied for gamma-ray detectors for imaging of gamma-ray source. Through previous studies, we implemented a lead-based shielding element that represents the shielding effectiveness and performance of commercially available gamma-ray imaging apparatus similar to the shielding body. In this paper, we designed a tungsten-based shield for weight reduction and miniaturization than lead-based shield. We performed the MCNP simulation for shield design and then we obtained the results of reducing the weight of the 17% and 51% of the volume.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.948-949
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• 2016

In this study, we perform the structure change of the shielding this is applied for gamma-ray detectors for imaging of gamma-ray source. Through previous studies, we implemented the commercially available gamma-ray imaging apparatus similar to the shielding body but weight reduction, center of gravity moving of shield. In this paper, we changed a shield for motion control detectors efficient movement. We performed the MCNP simulation of shield design and then we obtained the results of reducing the weight of the 17% and moving of center of gravity the shield center.