A REAL-TIME X-RAY DETECTOR

IN-SITU MONITORING OF CRITICAL MATERIAL PROPERTIES WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE PROCESS CONTROL OF A WIDE VARIETY OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES. POSITION SENSITIVE FIBER OPTIC X-RAY SCINTILLATION DETECTORS (PSSD) CAN BE USED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY MEASURE SEVERAL CRITICAL SOLID POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS THICKNESS, CRYSTAL STRUCTURE, CRYSTAL PERFECTION, PREFERRED ORIENTATION, AND RESIDUAL STRESS. COMPARED WITH TRADITIONAL X-RAY DETECTORS, THE PSSD SYSTEM IS VERY COMPACT, REQUIRES NO SCANNING, AND-MOST IMPORTANTLY-HAS VERY RAPID SAMPLING TIME (LESS THAN 1 SECOND). ALL THESE ATTRIBUTES MAKE IT IDEALLY SUITED FOR REAL-TIME ANALYSIS. THIS PHASE I PROJECT ADDRESSES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REAL-TIME X-RAY DETECTOR FOR USE IN HARSH ENVIRONMENT COATING SYSTEMS. IN PHASE II, THE PSSD X-RAY MONITOR WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR FEEDBACK PROCESS CONTROL.