Distance determination by the gamma-ray time-of-flight method

The time-of-flight method is studied using coincident annihilation gamma rays with an energy of 511 keV to find the distance from a surface at which they are scattered back for detection. The gamma rays have a good penetration ability, which makes the method suitable for industrial circumstances in which the range is rendered opaque to light by flue gas and aerosols. An accuracy of 1 cm over a distance of 2 m can be obtained by increasing the averaging time by the square of the lengthening factor. The density of the surface can be studied by recording the width of the distribution of the surface measurements. This measurement needs a prolonged averaging time, but the thickness of the slag layer on top of a steel melt can be measured with a maximum error of 1.5 cm at short distances, for example.< >