Researchers from the Northeastern University have found a new way to discover nuclear materials.
Northeastern researchers Swastik Kar and Joong Jun have created a detector that could accurately detect nuclear threats across the globe.
According to Science Daily, this new technology has ultrasensitive particles made of graphene and carbon nanotubes, making it effective in aiding radiation monitoring vehicles in mapping areas contaminated during nuclear disasters.
In the report, Yung Joon, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering said, “Ours can detect one ion, the fundamental limit. If you can detect a single ion, then you can detect everything larger than that,” he said.
The detector is also reported to have low-power requirements and low cost. Swastik Kar, associate professor in the Department of Physics, explained that nuclear particles can be hidden in lead containers. So, if a border guard at U.S. Customs is scanning a cargo ship through his Geiger counter, there is a high chance of him not catching the nuclear particles hidden in lead.
“That means the guard not only fails to detect the leak but also is being exposed to radiation at unknown levels,” said Kar. “Using our technology, the guard could detect hidden sources from a safe distance, or even with a drone.”
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