Radiation detecting device and method of operating

1. A method of operating a radiation-detecting device comprising:

charging a first charge storage region of a charge storage structure to place a first charge value at the first charge storage region;

charging a second charge storage region of the charge storage structure to place a second charge value at the second charge storage region;

determining, at a first time, a third charge value at the first charge storage region by determining an amount of current generated by the charge storage structure responsive to a applying a predetermined voltage to the first charge storage structure;

determining a first received amount of radiation based upon the first charge value and the third charge storage value; and

determining a first radiation flux value for an environment containing the charge storage structure based on the first received amount of radiation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting the first radiation flux.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the first charge storage region is conducted at a second time.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising charging, at a third time after determining the first received amount, the first charge storage region to place a fourth charge value at the first charge region.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising conducting a third read operation to determine a change in the third charge value at the first charge storage region.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining a second radiation flux value for the environment based on the change in the third charge value at the first charge storage region.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the second radiation flux value is conducted at a fourth time.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

comparing the first radiation flux value to a threshold radiation flux value; and

identifying a radiation flux value indicator based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a fourth charge value at the second charge storage region, at a second time after charging the second charge storage region, and determining a second received amount of radiation based on the fourth charge value and the second charge value.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second time is different than the first time.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a second radiation flux value for the environment based on the second received amount of radiation.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

comparing the first radiation flux value to the second radiation flux value; and

identifying a radiation flux value indicator based on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

comparing the radiation flux value indicator to a threshold radiation flux value; and

generating an alert signal wherein the radiation flux value indicator exceeds the threshold radiation flux value.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the third charge value comprises the use of a series of reads, each read of the series using a different read voltage.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining a third time based on the first received amount of charge; and determining, at the third time, a third charge value at the first charge storage region.

16. A method of operating a radiation-detecting device comprising:

charging a first charge storage region of a charge storage structure to place a first charge value at the first charge storage region;

charging a second charge storage region of the charge storage structure to place a second char value the second charge story region

determining, at a first time, a third charge value at the first charge storage region by determining an amount of current generated by the charge storage structure responsive to applying a predetermined voltage to the first charge storage structure;

determining a first received amount of radiation based upon the first charge value and the third charge storage value;

determining a first radiation flux value for an environment containing the charge storage structure based on the first received amount of radiation;

determining a fourth charge value based upon the first received amount of charge, the fourth charge value different than the first charge value;

charging the first charge storage region to the fourth charge value;

determining, at a second time, a fifth charge value at the first charge storage region; and

determining a second received amount of radiation based upon the fourth charge value and the fourth charge storage value.

17. A method of operating radiation-detecting device comprising:

charging a first charge storage region of a charge storage structure to place a first charge value at the first charge storage region, the first charge storage structure has a first thickness;

charging a second charge storage region of the charge storage structure to place a second charge value at the second charge storage region;

determining, at a first time, a third charge value at the first charge storage region by determining an amount of current generated by the charge storage structure responsive to applying a predetermined voltage to the first charge storage structure;

determining a first received amount of radiation based upon the first charge value and the third charge storage value; and

determining a first radiation flux value for an environment containing the charge storage structure based on the first received amount of radiation;

charging a third charge storage region of a charge storage structure having a second thickness, different than the first thickness; and

determining a second received amount of radiation at the third charge storage region.