Scientists have developed a supercooled sensor that delivers full radioactivity profiles without chemical tracers.
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have unveiled a groundbreaking method for rapidly detecting and measuring radioactivity in minuscule samples.The technique, called cryogenic decay energy spectrometry , allows scientists to identify and quantify radioactive substances faster and more precisely than ever before.
The development could accelerate progress in fields such as cancer treatment, nuclear waste cleanup, and reactor fuel development.The work demonstrates how DES offers a complete radioactivity profile from a tiny sample in just days, cutting down processes that once took months.Detailed energy signaturesAt the heart of the technique is a device known as a transition-edge sensor . This advanced radiation detector operates at temperatures close to absolute zero and can capture the energy signature of individual radioactive decays.“The TES is much more advanced than a familiar Geiger counter or other detectors used today,” said NIST physicist Ryan Fitzgerald. “Instead of just clicking to indicate radiation, or giving a blurry indication of the decay energy, it gives us a detailed fingerprint of what’s there.”When a radioactive atom decays, it releases energy. The TES absorbs that energy and undergoes a tiny change in electrical resistance. By analyzing these changes, researchers can identify exactly which radionuclides are present and how much radioactivity they emit.Unlike traditional approaches, which either identify the radioactive isotope or measure its intensity, but not both, DES does both tasks with a single device. That significantly reduces the need for complex chemical processing, tracers, and calibration materials.NIST physicist Ryan Fitzgerald places indium on a TES chip to measure radioactive decay energy. Credit – NISTInkjet precision for tiny samplesTo perform the measurements, the team used a custom inkjet device that dispenses droplets smaller than a millionth of a gram. These droplets land on thin gold foils dotted with nanopores, which absorb the liquid sample.Researchers first measure the mass of the radioactive droplet using the inkjet system. Then they dry it and use the TES device to measure its radioactivity. This allows them to calculate “massic activity,” or radioactivity per unit mass, with high accuracy, even from incredibly small samples.This method proves especially valuable for high-risk scenarios, such as identifying unknown contents in radioactive barrels. “Instead of waiting months for results, we can now get a full radioactivity profile in just a few days from a tiny sample,” Fitzgerald said.TrueBq project aims for overhaulThe development is part of a broader effort called the True Becquerel project. Named after physicist Henri Becquerel, the project seeks to transform how radioactivity is measured and standardized.TrueBq combines the TES system with a highly precise mass balance to provide a more accurate and faster measurement workflow. It aims to improve a range of NIST services, including calibrations, reference materials, and testing programs.Eventually, the researchers hope to build portable versions of the DES system for use in hospitals, nuclear plants, and environmental sites. While still in early stages, the work already marks a significant leap toward safer, faster, and more accurate radioactivity monitoring.The study is published in the journal Metrologia.
Cryogenic Sensor NIST Nuclear Safety Nuclear Waste Radioactive Isotopes Radioactivity Truebq
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