RADIABEAM TECHNOLOGIES, LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 02c

Description

High-energy Gamma-ray/X-ray sources are used for a wide variety of critical applications, such as cargo inspection, non-destructive testing, and advanced detection techniques for identifying nuclear material. However, the sources that are currently available are very large and heavy, preventing them from being more widely deployed in field applications. This project will develop and demonstrate a portable betatron gamma source that provides 1 - 6 MeV gamma rays with a variable duty cycle (1 - 200 Hz) and 5 cGy/min @ 1 m maximum dose rate. The system will be less than 100 lbs. and run on battery power. Modern design methods, improved magnetic materials and manufacturing processes will be applied to enable these goals. In addition, a modern control system will be implemented on the betatron to allow variability in both energy output and duty cycle. In Phase I, the design and preliminary engineering of the betatron's magnetic, vacuum, and electrical sub-systems will be completed. A prototype magnet demonstrating the feasibility of the approach to achieve the required parameters will be built and tested. One of the applications of the portable betatron is for use by emergency responders for in rapid in-situ diagnostics of radiological/nuclear threats. The largest market will be for cargo inspection. The total size of the cargo inspection system market is approximately $700 million; the marketfor high-energy X-ray sources for such systems is approximately $100 million per year. In addition, the market for high-energy radiography equipment is approximately $45 million.