Oak Ridge, TN, May 3, 2002 -- Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc. a division of AMETEK, Inc. Paoli, PA. today announced that ORTEC has received a patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,380,544) for an innovative low cost liquid nitrogen-free cooling system for high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detectors.

The lack of a low cost alternative has, until now, mandated that liquid nitrogen be used to provide the cooling needed for proper detector operation. Liquid nitrogen can be difficult to obtain, is relatively expensive as well as being hazardous to handle. This new system is the first and only one to provide a cost-effective alternative to liquid nitrogen by the use of mechanical cooling.

The newly patented system consists of the ORTEC X-COOLER^TM mechanical cooler and ORTEC PopTopā HPGe detector capsule. The X-COOLER embodies proven and patented technology available for Gamma-Ray applications exclusively from ORTEC which allows the use of commercial off-the-shelf components to reliably achieve the cooling necessary for operation of the HPGe. Liquid nitrogen cooling of HPGe detectors is no longer required anywhere electricity is available.