[Laser] What do you guys need??? (Radiation damage)

Fri, 11 Jan 2002 18:16:36 -0700

According to the press release I saw, they were zapping the smart cards in
digital cameras.

73 de Jack

-----Original Message-----
From: W2MXW <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, January 11, 2002 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Laser] What do you guys need??? (Radiation damage)

>At 10:33 PM 1/10/02 -0800, you wrote:
>>It's important to define "radiation."
>>There's lots of kinds of "radiation."
>
>In this case I'd say "ionizing particulate" radiation, or beta-rays (which
>are electrons).
>
>
>>I don't see how they could irradiate packages with an electron beam
>>and get any penetration.
>
>Doesn't seem to make sense to me either, when I saw it. I assumed they'd
>use some form of EM radiation like Cobalt-60 gamma or high-energy (MeV
>range) x-rays. But, that's what they said- high-energy electron beams shot
>from an "electron gun" (cathode) would be used and this could destroy all
>living organisms (such as pathogens) as well as partially cook (!) any
>foodstuffs sent in the mail. They also said electronics could be damaged,
>hence my concern. They showed a diagram of the irradiating device and it
>looked sort of like a CRT - cathode emits electrons, which is guided and
>formed into a wide beam to cover the whole package by a charged shield or
>deflector (didn't say whether it was electrostatic or electromagnetic).
>This is performed in a shielded room and (I assume) under vacuum.
>
>Jonathan W2MXW
>
>
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