Alternative to Wi-Fi Can Transmit Data Through Obstacles

Radio waves and mobile phone signals rely on electromagnetic radiation, but researchers from Lancaster University (UK), together with colleagues from the Jožef Stefan Institute (Slovenia), have managed to digitally transmit encoded information using so-called fast neutrons (free neutrons with kinetic energy above a certain threshold, which depends on the context).

During the study, scientists measured the spontaneous fission (a type of radioactive decay of heavy atomic nuclei) of fast neutrons from the artificial radioactive isotope californium-252, which is produced in nuclear reactors.

The researchers sequentially encoded several samples of information (a word, the alphabet, and several randomly selected numbers) into the modulation of the neutron field. The output signal was then decoded on a laptop, which displayed the encoded information on the screen.

The team used a double-blind method, in which a number generated by a random number generator was encoded without prior notification to those uploading it, then transmitted and decoded. All tests were 100% successful.

“We have demonstrated the potential of fast neutron radiation as a wireless communication medium for situations where conventional electromagnetic transmission is either impossible or inherently limited,” said Professor Malcolm Joyce of Lancaster University.

According to Joyce, fast neutrons have an advantage over traditional electromagnetic waves, which are significantly weakened when passing through various materials, including metals.

“In some critical scenarios, such as the integrity of reactor containment and metal chambers and partitions in marine facilities, it is important to minimize the number of communication cable penetrations through these metal structures. Using neutrons to transmit information through such structures could eliminate the need for these penetrations and may also help in complex situations where limited data transmission is needed, such as during emergency rescue operations,” Joyce explained.

Fast neutrons can also be used in mixed-signal electronic systems to blend signals between electrons and neutrons. This could help meet requirements for ensuring the integrity of information transmission.

Double-blind method: A research method in which neither the subjects nor the experimenters know important details of the experiment until it is completed. The double-blind method eliminates unconscious influence by the experimenter on the subject, as well as subjectivity in the experimenter’s assessment of the results.