Electricity: measuring and testing – Particle precession resonance
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-30
2001-12-18
Arana, Louis (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Particle precession resonance
C600S407000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331774
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to laser devices and methods and more specifically to laser devices and methods used in medical imaging, diagnostics and treatment, various industrial applications such as etching, military applications, and is also useful for treatment of nuclear waste and energy production.
b. Description of Related Art
Laser technology has experienced widespread acceptance and has been put to numerous uses in many aspects of everyday life. Lasers have found their way into the medical industry and their use is expanding rapidly. Lasers are also used in industrial applications such as etching, welding and the like. Similarly, with the intense energy output that lasers provide, there has also been interest in military applications and uses of lasers. Despite the state of laser technology there is a need for new and improved laser technology. Moreover, conventional laser technology, although useful, has proven inefficient, requiring much higher amounts of energy to achieve the laser effect which has often proven impracticable.
With the unlocking of atomic secrets and the advent of nuclear technology humanity has received many benefits. However, through the use of nuclear technology problems have arisen that even advancing technology has been incapable of handling, namely how to deal with the radioactive waste created through the nuclear process. Currently, nuclear waste is essentially put into storage until the radioactive waste can be moved to a more proper location or the radioactivity lessens to background levels. Both pose a multitude of problems. In the first instance, to date there have been few promising ways of safely locking nuclear waste in a form that does not degrade and contaminate the environment. One technology for the safe storage of nuclear waste is a process called vitrification which essentially locks the waste into glassy medium which is then stored in containers. However, this process is extremely expensive and the long-term stability of such waste is unknown. Likewise, although governments have spent billions of dollars in a search for a suitable permanent nuclear waste repository the efforts so far have been fruitless. Other methods of treating nuclear waste have been proposed but none has proven to be sufficiently cost effective and safe to meet the ever-increasing demand to deal with nuclear waste.
Thus there is a need to effectively, safely and cost-effectively dispose of nuclear waste.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a laser useful for medical imaging, diagnostics and treatment and associated methods are provided. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a laser useful for industrial applications such as etching and associated methods are provided. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a laser suitable for military applications is provided. In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention a treatment system and method for nuclear waste through coordinated, spontaneous accelerated decay of radioactive nuclei is provided. In accordance with a related aspect of this invention, the release of the nuclear decay laser to produce another form of energy, such as electricity, is provided.
In accordance with the invention, a nuclear decay laser device is provided. The nuclear decay laser device in accordance with the invention includes at least a radioactive element, a magnetic field source associated with the radioactive element for generating and subjecting the radioactive element to a magnetic field external to the radioactive element. A source of radio frequency energy is provided for subjecting the radioactive element to a radio frequency energy tuned to the Larmor frequency of the precessing radioactive nuclei of sufficient intensity to flip the radioactive nuclei to a flip angle sufficient to allow the radioactive nuclei to release energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation and/or particles upon relaxation of the radioactive nuclei caused by termination of the radio frequency energy.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a nuclear decay laser imaging device, suitable for medical imaging and other imaging purposes is provided. The nuclear decay laser imaging device in accordance with the invention comprises at least one radioactive element, a magnetic field source associated with the radioactive element for generating and subjecting the radioactive element to a magnetic field external to the radioactive element. A source of radio frequency energy is provided for subjecting the radioactive element to a radio frequency energy tuned to the Larmor frequency of the precessing radioactive nuclei of sufficient intensity to flip the radioactive nuclei to a flip angle sufficient to allow the radioactive nuclei to release energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation and/or particles upon relaxation of the radioactive nuclei caused by termination of the radio frequency energy. A specimen area is provided for placing matter to be imaged by the released energy and detecting structure is provided for detecting the interaction of the released energy with the matter placed in the specimen area. Any suitable detection or imaging structure can be utilized, such as X-ray film, a CT scanner or a suitable electronic detecting device, for example.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for the treatment of nuclear waste composed of a radioactive element is provided. The method includes the steps of placing the nuclear waste in the magnetic field external to the nuclear waste, subjecting the nuclear waste to a radio-frequency wave tuned to the Larmor frequency of the precessing radioactive nuclei of the radioactive element, providing the radio-frequency pulse with sufficient strength and duration to flip the radioactive nuclei such that the relaxation of the radioactive nuclei will release energy in the form of heat, electromagnetic radiation and/or particles. The flipped radioactive nuclei are allowed to relax thereby releasing their energy and accelerating the rate of decay of the radioactive nuclei relative to the normal rate of decay of said nuclei.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing electrical energy from nuclear waste is provided. The method includes the steps of placing the nuclear waste in the magnetic field external to the nuclear waste and subjecting the nuclear waste to a radio-frequency wave tuned to the Larmor frequency of the precessing radioactive nuclei of the nuclear waste. The radio-frequency pulse is provided with sufficient strength and duration to flip the radioactive nuclei such that the relaxation of the radioactive nuclei will release energy in the form of heat, electromagnetic radiation and/or particles. The flipped radioactive nuclei are allowed to relax thereby releasing their energy. A structure is provided for absorbing the released energy to directly or indirectly produce electric current.
In one embodiment, at least one type of radioactive material which possesses an angular momentum and magnetic moment is encompassed within a cylindrical magnet, preferably of at least 1 Tesla, wherein the center of the magnet has been removed along the lengthwise axis of the magnet to accommodate placement of the radioactive material within the magnet. As is typical with conventional MRI devices, the cylindrical magnetic core is surrounded by an outer cryoshield and inner magnetic windings. Homogeneity of the magnetic field can be achieved through shim coils, for example. Gradient recall pulse sequences are generated by gradient coils. The radioactive specimen is surrounded by a cylindrical transmit-receive radio-frequency (RF) coil such that the open end of the RF coil is directed along the axis of the magnet defined by the direction of the main magnetic field B
o
.
When the radioactive nuclei are placed in the external magnetic field B
o
, the nuclei precess about the external magnetic
Arana Louis
Ryndak & Suri
LandOfFree
Nuclear decay laser and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Nuclear decay laser and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Nuclear decay laser and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2558869