AMETEK ANNOUNCES ADDITIONS TO ITS HIGH-RESOLUTION ORTEC DETECTIVE ® RADIATION IDENTIFIER PRODUCT LINE

Latest Version Improves Upon the "Gold Standard� in Radiation Detection

The ORTEC business unit of AMETEK Advanced Measurement Technology has expanded its Detective-EX product family to include several new versions, including the Detective-DX, the Detective-EX-GP, the Detective-DX-GP and several new features, including an SNM (Special Nuclear Material) Search Mode that better enables the instrument to locate radioactive material capable of being used in a nuclear weapon.

"Several hundred Detective radiation identifiers are now in daily use around the world guarding against the trafficking of illicit nuclear materials,� comments Tim Twomey, Product Manager for ORTEC Products Group. "Our latest additions to the Detective family reflect the feedback we've received on how to further improve the performance of our high-resolution systems.�

Detective identifiers represent a breakthrough in radiation detector technology by reducing existing bulky equipment into a lightweight, battery-powered device that can be either permanently mounted or fully portable. The Detective employs a unique class of gamma-ray detectors that utilize cryogenically cooled high-purity Germanium (HPGe) crystals that are widely regarded as the "Gold Standard� for accurately identifying radioactive isotopes.

The Detective-DX was developed specifically to satisfy end users who require a touch screen, but not a neutron detector. The DX version is available with either a standard-size HPGe crystal or with the recently introduced larger HPGe crystal that is offered with the Detective-EX-100. The larger crystal provides the instrument with increased sensitivity and improved low-energy efficiency, resulting in faster identification of suspicious materials without any loss in accuracy.
The GP variant is an option for Detective-EX and -DX models for including a built-in GPS receiver that allows saved spectra to be stored with GPS coordinates recording the position of the source of interest.

The SNM Search Mode helps the Detective identify Special Nuclear Material in the presence of other radioactive sources and allows the instrument to find SNM quickly without running the full ID operation. This feature helps to avoid false negatives that sometimes occur when radioactive materials are shielded or "masked� by innocent materials in cargo containers. It now comes standard with new EX and DX systems and is available as an upgrade to earlier systems.

The Detective family of radiation identifiers was designed for use at border crossings, cargo ship docks, and transportation terminals to detect and differentiate between potentially dangerous radioactive materials and otherwise harmless radiation sources. Its HPGe gamma-ray detectors allow the unit to positively identify nuclear materials without expert intervention, even if heavy metal shielding has been placed around the source. Additionally, by including a moderated neutron detector, the Detective-EX and Detective-EX-100 are able to confirm when "fissile� nuclear materials (uranium or plutonium) are present.

Each version of the Detective has a large, easy-to-read LCD display. Additional features include an internal computer that allows for remote data transmission, real-time search and isotope identification, Secure Digital (SD) card storage and on-board field analysis capability. Updated software allows the user to monitor and control the Detective remotely via laptop.