Posithôt Instruments

High technology instruments dedicated to the production or use of positrons.

Analysis instruments

The analysis instruments manufactured by POSITHÔT are intended for industrial or institutional R&D centers, and universities. They allow to measure a wide spectrum of defects size on all types of materials samples.

ANALYSIS INSTRUMENTS

The analysis devices for the defects identification in materials allow to reach key parameters for the development of innovative materials. They allow to quantify the levels of ageing of hydrides for the hydrogen storage, the quality of single crystals for the semiconductor industry, or the size of pores for the nano filtration, the desalination or the cleanup of liquids.

In surface analysis, the spectrometry positrons gives access to the quality interfaces under thin layers. These problems impact the efficiency of photovoltaic cells and of numerous optics materials.

With an ultimate resolution of several order of magnitude lower than all the solutions of non-destructive testing on the market, the POSITHOT technology allows to measure the fatigue defects before their size becomes critical. All the parts with high added value and submitted to important mechanical stresses are from now on controllable.

Control instruments

The control instruments are intended for targeted applications. They are realized based on customer’s specifications, and optimized for his samples geometry, as well as for the types of sought defects.

CONTROL INSTRUMENTS

Catalysis

Open and closed porosities can be measured, as a function of depth, for all low-density materials like adsorbents and catalysts.

Electronic

Dopants studies in innovative monocristals for the semiconductor industry can be achieved with positrons.

Filtration

The free volume between molecular chains can be measured using positron spectroscopy. The knowledge of this value is critical for filtration, permeation and depollution processes.

Energy storage

Hydrogen storage depends on the stability of the hydrides used to capture hydrogen, and of their porosity to ease the release of hydrogen.

Medical

Implants are efficient if they can be integrated in the body, this means if the human tissues can colonize them. The fraction of their open porosities at the surface of the implant is therefore a key factor.

Mechanics

Some parts require a safety level not allowing the smallest detectable crack using conventional methods. Positron spectroscopy allows to determine the damaging level of mechanical parts before the crack appearance and can therefore reduce the quantity of high value scraped parts during maintenance operations.

POSITRON GENERATORS

POSITHÔT masters the production of positrons, the antiparticle of the electron, and has developed a range of generators. All the instruments manufactured by POSITHÔT are built around these positron generators. Their common characteristics are the following:

Intense Flow

POSITHÔT generators produce a strong flow of positrons: between 50 and 200 times greater as radioactive sources using the isotope 22 of the sodium; they integrate a stage of moderation of positrons allowing to obtain a beam of positrons of low almost monokinetic energy.

Adjustable

POSITHÔT generators are adjustable in intensity: the operator can settle the flow of positrons produced between a maximal value and a value corresponding to the twentieth of the maximal value; For example, a generator producing 6×106 slow positrons per second is adjustable between 3×105 and 6×106 positrons per second.

Not radioactive

POSITHÔT generators are not radioactive. Unlike other solutions used to produce positrons, POSITHÔT generator does not consume radioactive isotopes, and do not generate radioactivity during their operation; they are shielded by the radiological point of view, the radiations emitted during the creation of positrons remaining confined inside the generator. This radiological shielding is an element of the generator.

Compact

POSITHÔT generators are compact and transportable; they are transported by the road in either 20 or 40 foot containers depending on the models.

Long-lasting

POSITHÔT generator are long-lasting: once stopped they do not emit positrons, nor any other radiation.

Positron Generators

For the users of positrons stemming from radioactive sources, the innovation brought by POSITHOT is a revolution.

Positron Generators

For the users of positrons stemming from radioactive sources, the innovation brought by POSITHOT is a revolution. Freed paperworks bound to the transport of radioactive sources of strong intensity at first, experimenters do not anymore see the signal of their experience decreasing over time. Generators are delivered with their systems of protection against ionizing radiations and follow the French safety regulation.

The specific cost of the produced positrons is from 3 to 10 times lower than that obtained with the radioactive sources depending the type of POSITHOT generator used.

Comparison with radioactive solutions : positrons produced by radioactive isotopes mostly come from the isotope 18 of fluoride or 22 of sodium.

Fluoride 18 is used in medical applications, the half-life being very short (period of 1.8 hours) it can not be effectively used in devices for materials science.
Sodium 22 is the most common solution for materials science analysis. With a period of 2.6 years, the positron production rate decreases by a factor 10 in about 8 years. Despite the strong reduction of radiological activity the sources remain dangerous radioactive wastes

Decrease of Na 22

Decrease of the positron production rate as a function of time for a sodium 22 radioactive source.