Nuclear radiation used to transmit digital data wirelessly

Date:
November 10, 2021
Source:
Lancaster University
Summary:
Engineers have successfully transferred digitally encoded
information wirelessly using nuclear radiation instead of
conventional technology.

The researchers measured the spontaneous emission of fast neutrons
from californium-252, a radioactive isotope produced in nuclear
reactors.

Several examples of information, i.e., a word, the alphabet and
a random number selected blindly, were encoded serially into
the modulation of the neutron field and the output decoded on
a laptop which recovered the encoded information on screen. Fast
neutrons have an advantage over conventional electromagnetic waves,
which are significantly weakened by transmission through materials
including metals.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Engineers have successfully transferred digitally encoded information wirelessly using nuclear radiation instead of conventional technology.


========================================================================== Radio waves and mobile phone signals relies on electromagnetic radiation
for communication but in a new development, engineers from Lancaster
University in the UK, working with the Jožef Stefan Institute in
Slovenia, transferred digitally encoded information using "fast neutrons" instead.

The researchers measured the spontaneous emission of fast neutrons from californium-252, a radioactive isotope produced in nuclear reactors.

Modulated emissions were measured using a detector and recorded on
a laptop.

Several examples of information, i.e., a word, the alphabet and a random
number selected blindly, were encoded serially into the modulation of
the neutron field and the output decoded on a laptop which recovered
the encoded information on screen.

A double-blind test was performed in which a number derived from a random number generator was encoded without prior knowledge of those uploading
it, and then transmitted and decoded.

All transmission tests attempted proved to be 100% successful.

Professor Malcolm Joyce of Lancaster University said: "We demonstrate
the potential of fast neutron radiation as a medium for wireless
communications for applications where conventional electromagnetic
transmission is either not feasible or is inherently limited." He said
fast neutrons have an advantage over conventional electromagnetic waves,
which are significantly weakened by transmission through materials
including metals.

"In some safety-critical scenarios, such as concerning the integrity
of reactor containments, and metal vaults and bulkheads in maritime
structures, it can be important to minimise the number of penetrations
made through such metal structures for communications cabling. The use of neutrons for information transmission through such structures could negate
the need for such penetrations and is perhaps also relevant to scenarios
where limited transmissions are desirable in difficult circumstances,
such as for emergency rescue operations." Fast neutrons could also be incorporated into a mixed-signal, electronic systems to achieve signal
mixing being between electrons and neutrons. This could contribute to
the requirement to ensure the integrity of information transfer.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Lancaster_University. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Malcolm J. Joyce, Michael D. Aspinall, Mackenzie Clark, Edward Dale,
Hamish Nye, Andrew Parker, Luka Snoj, Joe Spires. Wireless
information transfer with fast neutrons. Nuclear Instruments and
Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers,
Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2022; 1021: 165946 DOI:
10.1016/j.nima.2021.165946 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211110131531.htm

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