NORDNING OG FREMGANGSMÅDE TIL MATERIALEKARAKTERISTIK

A device and method for material characterization are provided. In one aspect, the method includes detecting packets of radiation emanating from within or passing through one or more items of freight or baggage as a result of irradiation by incident radiation, using a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors being configured to produce an electrical pulse caused by the detected packets having a characteristic size or shape dependent on an energy of the packets. The method further includes processing each of the electrical pulses using one or more digital processors to determine the characteristic size or shape, generating a screening detector energy spectrum for each of the detectors of the energies of the packets detected, and measuring an effective atomic number Z of an unknown material associated with the one or more items of freight or baggage based on the screening detector energy spectra in comparison with calibration measurements.