TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: KM200 – Configurable Amplifier for Radiation Detection Applications
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The KM200 is a sophisticated pre-amplifier developed for nuclear safeguards and radiation detection, designed to replace the discontinued Amptek A-111 amplifier. It offers enhanced signal processing capabilities with a faster bipolar shaper and advanced discriminator circuitry that minimizes noise and double pulsing, thereby preserving signal integrity even at high count rates. Its configurable design allows adaptation across various detector types, improving neutron detection sensitivity and measurement resolution. This amplifier supports high-throughput applications by achieving a tenfold increase in count rate capacity and reduces issues related to high voltage drift, making it well-suited for demanding environments such as spent fuel measurement and radiation monitoring. This technology is ready for licensing and partnership opportunities, targeting radiation detection companies, instrumentation manufacturers, and system integrators seeking to deploy a reliable, compact, and versatile amplifier for a range of applications. These include nuclear safeguards and security, medical imaging, radiation monitoring, research laboratories, defense, industrial quality control, and space science. The KM200 has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 and is protected by U.S. Patent No. 10,422,896. Licensing inquiries can be directed to Los Alamos National Laboratory, which emphasizes commercializing innovations to enhance industry capabilities and societal benefits.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USASet-Aside
Timeline
Response Deadline
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
The KM200 is specifically designed for nuclear safeguards, focusing on radiation detection for security, nonproliferation, and material accountability. The KM200 amplifiers have been tested and used for several years in deployed neutron detectors, replacing the discontinued Amptek A-111.
Overview:
Do you need the replacement technology for the discontinued Amptek A-111? The KM200 is a high-efficiency pre-amplifier that provides improved signal processing for radiation detection systems. It features a faster bipolar shaper and advanced discriminator circuitry, eliminating double pulsing and reducing noise while maintaining signal integrity at high count rates. Its optimized circuit design allows for precise pulse shaping, improving measurement resolution and neutron detection efficiency. The KM200 is also configurable for different detector types, enabling adjustments for varying signal conditions. These enhancements make it a reliable alternative to legacy amplifiers, ensuring stable and accurate performance in demanding radiation detection environments.
Key Advantages:
- High Count Rate Capabilities: Achieves a 10-fold improvement in count rate over existing systems, supporting high-throughput applications such as spent fuel measurement.
- Seamless System Integration: Built with widely available components and tested for compatibility as a drop-in replacement for legacy systems.
- Extended Application Range: Adaptable to various detector types, improving stability in diverse radiation detection environments and reducing high voltage drift effects.
Problems Solved:
- Enhanced Measurement Precision: Improves neutron detection sensitivity and accuracy, even in high-pressure or slow gas admixture environments.
- Compact and Versatile Design: Supports denser detector integration, reducing the number of tubes per amplifier while maintaining reliable performance in a smaller footprint.
Market Applications:
We are seeking licensing and partnership opportunities with radiation detection companies, instrumentation manufacturers, and detector system integrators to manufacture and deploy the KM200.
- Nuclear Safeguards and Security: Enhancing accuracy in neutron and gamma-ray detection for plutonium assays, fuel cycle analysis, and waste management.
- Medical Imaging: Augmenting PET and SPECT systems by amplifying low-level radiation signals.
- Radiation Monitoring: Improving compliance in radiation monitoring where Amptek A-111 was previously used.
- Research Labs: Supporting experiments in particle physics and nuclear research, ensuring sensitive and precise measurements.
- Security and Defense: Detecting radioactive materials for border security, emergency response, and critical infrastructure protection.
- Industrial Quality Control: Enabling non-destructive testing in manufacturing, critical for detecting minimal radiation levels.
- Space and Astronomy: Detecting cosmic rays and high-energy particles in space exploration and research.
Development Status: Technology Readiness Level 6
U.S. Patent No. 10,422,896
Access: https://www.lanl.gov/engage/collaboration/feynman-center/tech-and-capability-search/km200
LANL Tech Partnerships: Unlock the Innovative Potential
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Partner with us to explore the limitless potential of our technology and capability portfolio. Access our available technologies here to gain insights into the potential transformative tools and solutions we provide. For specific discussions, please contact licensing@lanl.gov.
LANL’s licensing program focuses on moving inventions developed by our researchers to commercial innovations to benefit society. Patented inventions and copyrighted software are available to existing and start-up companies through exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements. Note: This is not a call for external services for the development of this technology.
https://www.lanl.gov/engage/collaboration/feynman-center/partner-with-us/licensing-technology
https://www.lanl.gov/engage/collaboration/feynman-center/tech-and-capability-search