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X-ray security Advances
The events on September 11th in USA highlight the fact that the threat of terrorism is increasing every year. Terrorists strike indiscriminately with the intent to bring publicity to their cause. Airlines, because of their high visibility, have always been a favourite target of these terrorist organisations. It is a sad fact of life that in-flight terrorist bombings leave no survivors.
Integrated security has long been recognised as one of the key functions of running public and commercial facilities. This is most frequently encountered and most visible to the public at airports where large crowds and the importance of possible “targets” are evident. There are many facets to such systems including personnel, CCTV and, increasing in importance, complete x-ray inspection.
As noted, such inspection is most evident in airport security systems. However, x-ray inspection is also vital to the safe running of such facilities as prisons and embassies and is becoming increasingly important in commercial facilities. Further routine inspection of freight transport to address smuggling and illegal immigration is most efficiently carried out by newly emerging x-ray techniques.
Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST) have a long experience in the design and manufacture of high performance x-ray screens. Close interaction with systems integrators has allowed AST to develop a range of screens optimised to give the desired resolution and speed of response required to meet the escalating demands of the x-ray inspection market.
Each method of x-ray inspection requires differing detector technologies but with a common element in the utilisation of phosphor technology. Small area phosphor strips from the SecureX-ST range, mounted to linear array modules, are used to produce high speed linescan systems for high throughput baggage handling systems. These systems generally operate by a 1-D x-ray detection system taking an image slice of the object being inspected. A 2-D image is then created by the motion of the object through the system, the image being constructed in software and presented on a VDU for inspection by an operator. Such systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated with expert systems software combined with carefully designed detectors providing greater levels of material discrimination.
Imaging large volume, large area objects such as trucks and freight containers in an efficient and comprehensive manner requires the highest performance and largest scintillators available. AST supplies the largest commercially available x-ray screen with the highest x-ray absorption available. Further developing this technology with new rapid response materials, AST now produces a range of large area, high energy x-rays screens, which have response times 3 orders of magnitude quicker than conventional materials. AST has optimised the structure of the screens to meet and exceed the rigorous technical demands of the freight inspection market.
Increased efficiency and volume inspection has now become a central issue for x-ray systems, as forthcoming legislation will require 100% inspection of baggage on flights to USA and EC destinations. Global standards can be expected in the near future as the demand for security increases.
Applied Scintillation Technologies specialises in photon and radiation capture, optimising detection, both direct and indirect, by the use of an extensive range of scintillation materials covering most of the electromagnetic spectrum. The company has developed products for use in such diverse world-wide markets as security, telecommunications, dental and medical imaging, biotechnology and scientific instruments, partnering with multi-national clients to produce fast effective economic solutions.
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