SBIR-STTR Award

Beam Technology Corporation is prepared to develop an innovative personal Radio frequency Radiation Dosimeter based on concepts originally enunciated by Dr. Johnathan Kiel, The approach will use a technology that promises to be much more versatile than currently available methods of measurement, which often employ E-field probes and meters. The objective is to use a novel chemical, Diazoluminomelanin (DALM), as a sensitive material for detection of the radio frequency radiation (RFR) exposure. The DALM will be employed as a thin film in the detection part of the dosimeter, in a sealed container to be designed. During the Phase I Project, we will explore the use of a system which would have the DALM film exposed to a specified frequency of light during the period of RFR exposure and subsequently determine the extent of RFR exposure by measuring the slow fluorescence emitted by the film (in a reader to be designed) upon pulsed activation by light of the same or a similar wavelength. Since there is no published literature describing this technology, a second approach which will be explored is to activate the DALM film to emit light, also in proportion to the RFR exposure, using either an existing Quantitative Luminescent Imaging System (QLIS), or a modification thereof designed specifically for this dosimetry system. The DALM film would be designed to allow for reading on a daily basis (to determine exposures of moderate to high intensity only), or at 3-month intervals (for reading a combination of both. Potentially, the system could be designed to indicate that an RFR exposure which is currently occurring (above a to-be-determined intensity level).

Keywords:
Dosimeter Diazoluminome Lanin Slow Fluorescence Personal Radiofrequency Radiation Microwave Detecti

Beam Tech Corporation is prepared to further the development of its innovative DALM Personal Radio Frequency Radiation Dosimetry System. This system is designed to determine the specific absorption rate in the tissues beneath DALM-sensor badges worn adjacent to the body at different locations, when individuals are exposed to radio frequency (microwave) radiation (FRF) either acu7tely at moderate or higher exposure levels, or chronically at low exposure levels. The system will take advantage of a very unique polymer, diazoluminomelanin (DALM), which has unique microwave absorption, luminescence and slow fluorescence properties. The DALM will be included in the sensor badges, and improvements will be made on the slow-fluorescence reader designed and constructed as a first-generation model in Phase I of this project. The project will investigate the best way to support the DALM in the badge, so that it can be activated for RFR detection for 6-min, 1 day, or longer activation periods. The use of light vs chemical activation will be explored for different applications. The information to be obtained of the RFR exposure from the DALM-sensor strips placed adjacent to the body will be combined with computer algorithms to determine the SAR in the tissue(s) beneath the DALM-sensors. The effect of the embedding chemicals on the DALM as a suspension on the signal generation will be compared with the result when the DALM is microencapsulated.

Keywords:
Radiofrequency Radiation Detection Diazoluminomelanin Microwave Slow Fluorescence Dosimater Specifi