Suggested Topics for SORMA West 2008
These were the suggested topics circa the call for abstracts. A gratifyingly large and diverse cross section of the community responded, addressing most of these areas and more. Click the "Technical Program" link in the menu to your left, and you can see the layout of the resulting program and download the accepted oral and poster abstracts.
Scintillator radiation detectors
- scintillation performance and mechanisms
- luminosity and controlling factors
- energy resolution and controlling factors
- timing resolution and controlling factors
- specialized crystal geometries
- surface treatment
- optically transparent ceramics
- nanoparticle-based materials
- radiation damage and effects
- new materials
Semiconductor radiation detectors
- detector design and fabrication
- detector characterization
- energy resolution and controlling factors
- carrier trapping and controlling factors
- amorphous detectors
- radiation damage and effects
- new materials
Detector materials production and characterization
- synthesis and purification of initial components
- crystal growth
- production of amorphous and polycrystalline detectors
- stoichiometry, phase separation, precipitates, etc.
- identification and quantification of impurities and native defects
- post-growth treatment (annealing, purification, etc.)
- material properties (physical, chemical, optical, and electrical)
- growth of large crystals
- manufacturing issues and costs
Photodetectors
- photomultiplier tubes
- hybrid photomultiplier tubes
- solid-state photodiodes and avalanche photodiodes
- solid-state photomultipliers
Gas and liquid radiation detectors
- GEM detectors
- liquefied noble gasses
- multi-wire proportional chambers
Alternate radiation detectors
- changes in material properties
- novel detection processes
- cryogenic bolometers
Electronics for radiation detection and measurement
- semiconductor and scintillator readout
- circuit design and performance
- packaging
- custom integrated circuits
- data acquisition systems
- signal processing
Detection systems
- neutron radiography
- fast neutron detection and spectroscopy
- thermal neutron detection
- gamma and x-ray imaging and radiography
- alpha imaging in d-d and d-t neutron generators
- detector calibration
Modeling of detectors and systems
- crystal growth
- electron-hole production by ionizing radiation
- carrier transport and collection in semiconductors
- excited-state production and radiative emission in scintillators
- defect formation
- carrier trapping on defects
- optical transport in scintillators
- signal variance
- Monte Carlo simulations of detectors and systems
Algorithms for detection, imaging, and identification
- radioisotope identification
- reconstruction from projections
- Compton, coded-aperture, and hybrid imaging
- pattern recognition
- associated particle imaging (tagged neutrons using associated alphas)
Radiation sources
- radionuclides
- neutron generators
- gamma ray generators
- charged particle accelerators
Applications in national and homeland security
- radiography
- detection of fissile material
- passive and active inspection of sealed containers
- isotopic identification of sealed radioactive material
- isotopic identification of trace radioactive samples (forensics)
- backgrounds and detection limits
- stand-off detection and identification of radioactive material
- portable, compact neutron and gamma generators
- compact charged particle accelerators
- human-portable scanners (passive and active)
Applications in non-destructive testing and imaging
- industrial testing and inspection
- medical imaging (radiography and radionuclide)
Applications in energy and environment
- power generation
- waste characterization and disposal
- site remediation
- environmental radiation measurements
Applications in fundamental research
- analytical standards
- materials research
- high energy physics
- nuclear physics
- geoscience
- space and planetary science
- synchrotron radiation instrumentation
- beamline instrumentation