detektorer

Detektorer, or detectors, are devices that detect physical phenomena and convert them into signals that can be measured or recorded. They sense quantities such as light, radiation, chemical substances, temperature, sound, magnetic fields, or mechanical changes, and output electrical, optical, or digital signals. The performance of a detektor is defined by sensitivity, selectivity, dynamic range, response time, noise, and stability. Calibration and environmental conditions influence measurements, and interpretation relies on understanding the detector’s characteristics.

Detektorer are grouped by what they measure: ionizing radiation detectors (Geiger-Moeller counters, scintillation detectors) and non-ionizing detectors (photodiodes for light, infrared sensors, microwave detectors); chemical detectors (electrochemical sensors for gases, sensor arrays); biological detectors (biosensors that translate biological interactions into signals); acoustic detectors (microphones); magnetic detectors (fluxgate magnetometers); temperature detectors (thermometers, RTDs).

Common uses include consumer devices such as smoke detectors (ionization or photoelectric), metal detectors at security checkpoints or hobbyist sites, and imaging instruments that rely on detectors for X-rays or gamma rays in medicine and science. In industry and research, detectors enable experiments, process control, environmental monitoring, and safety systems.

Detector technology continues to advance with new materials, nanofabrication, and data processing, improving sensitivity, speed, and energy efficiency while expanding functional ranges. Detectors have evolved from early thermometers and gas-filled tubes to solid-state devices, scintillators, and semiconductor sensors. Standards and calibration procedures from international and national bodies support accuracy and comparability across applications.