Scintillating Quantum Dots for Imaging X-rays (SQDIX) for Aircraft Inspection
sensors
Scintillating Quantum Dots for Imaging X-rays (SQDIX) for Aircraft Inspection (LAR-TOPS-112)
A revolutionary system that enables characterization of microcracking in composites or x-ray inspection of in-service turbine engines
Overview
NASAs Langley Research Center has developed Scintillating Quantum Dots for Imaging X-rays (SQDIX) technology that enables the creation of x-ray detectors that are more sensitive than current x-ray detectors. In addition to superior sensitivity, SQDIX also offers the promise of reducing the cost of x-ray detectors by at least by a factor of 10. Simply stated, SQDIX has the potential to change the way that x-ray detection is done.
The Technology
The SQDIX system is an enabling technology that will have game-changing impacts across many fields including DoE, DoD, NASA, medical imaging fields, aircraft inspection and many other fields. StQDs are sensitive to x-ray radiation and emit visible photons that are tunable in wavelength. Development of this technology will greatly impact NASAs ability to use X-Rays as an inspection method. This directly addresses the Aviation Safety challenge in the 2010 National Aeronautics R&D Plan to monitor and assess the health of aircraft more efficiently and effectively as well as all NASA spaceflights beyond earths magnetic field.
Benefits
- Enables very high-speed x-ray imaging.
- Environmentally friendly in comparison with conventional scintillator materials.
- Minimizes x-ray exposure to the patient in medical imaging applications, and also the time required for exposure to ionizing radiation. Combined with reduced cost, this could make some previously cost-prohibitive forms of medical x-ray imaging more widely available.
Applications
- Aircraft inspection
- Medical imaging
