Compact collimating device

1. A collimating device comprising:

a collimator housing defining an interior surface and an exterior surface of said collimating device, said collimator housing comprising an inlet and an outlet and a cavity extending between said inlet and said outlet; and

a plurality of sawtooth ridges extending radially inward from the interior surface of said collimator housing toward a center axis of said cavity, each said ridge comprising a first edge substantially perpendicular to the center axis and a second edge sloping radially outward away from the inlet, said plurality of ridges form a plurality of slits within said cavity configured to collimate radiation entering said inlet and exiting said outlet.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said housing is substantially cylindrical.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said plurality of slits are substantially circular, having substantially equal diameters.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said plurality of slits are substantially circular, having diameters that increase as a distance from said inlet increases.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ridges have a substantially triangular cross-section.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of ridges comprises a first edge substantially perpendicular to radiation applied to said collimating device at said inlet.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a single slit positioned between a radiation source and said inlet, said single slit configured to further collimate the provided radiation.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said housing is configured to fit at least partially within a shielding pipe of a portable instrument.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said housing includes radiation reflecting material or radiation absorbing material.

10. A method of collimating radiation output by a radiation source, said method comprising:

providing a radiation source for generating radiation; and

positioning a collimating device between the radiation source and a sample, the collimating device comprising an interior surface that defines a cavity, the cavity including a plurality of ridges having a sawtooth cross-section extending from the interior surface toward a center of the cavity, each ridge defined by a first edge extending perpendicularly from the interior surface toward a center axis of the cavity and a second edge sloping radially away from the first edge, the plurality of ridges defining a plurality of slits configured to facilitate reducing scattering of radiation exiting the collimating device.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein positioning a collimating device further comprises positioning a single part configured to fit substantially within a shielding pipe of a portable instrument.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the portable instrument comprises a portable X-ray fluorescence instrument.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising positioning a first slit between the radiation source and the collimating device, the first slit configured to further collimate the generated radiation.

14. A detection system comprising:

a portable housing;

a radiation source at least partially enclosed in the portable housing and configured to generate a primary radiation and impinge the primary radiation onto a sample, the primary radiation configured to excite the sample and cause the sample to reflect a secondary radiation;

a radiation detector at least partially enclosed in the portable housing and configured to detect the secondary radiation; and

a collimating device positioned between the radiation source and the sample, the collimating device comprising a housing that includes a cavity extending between an inlet and an outlet of the collimating device, the collimating device comprising a plurality of sawtooth ridges extending from the housing toward a center axis of the cavity, the plurality of ridges defining a plurality of slits configured to facilitate reducing scattering of radiation exiting the outlet of the collimating device.

15. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 further comprising an instrument housing configured to at least partially enclose the radiation source, the radiation detector, the collimating device, and a portable power supply.

16. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein a diameter of the plurality of slits is substantially equal.

17. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein a diameter of the plurality of slits increases as the ridges increase in distance from the inlet.

18. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ridges include a substantially triangular cross-section.

19. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the collimating device is coupled to at least one of the radiation source and a shielding pipe of the detection system.

20. A detection system in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a first slit positioned between the radiation source and the collimating device, the first slit configured to further collimate the generated radiation.

21. A collimating device comprising:

a housing defining an interior surface and an exterior surface of said collimating device, said housing comprising an inlet and an outlet and a cavity extending between said inlet and said outlet; and

a spiraling ridge extending from the interior surface of said housing toward a center of said cavity, said spiraling ridge beginning at said inlet and ending at said outlet, said spiraling ridge including a first surface configured to collimate radiation entering said inlet and exiting said outlet.

22. A device in accordance with claim 21 , wherein said housing is substantially cylindrical.

23. A device in accordance with claim 21 , wherein said spiraling ridge has a substantially square cross-sectional shape, triangular cross-sectional shape, or trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

24. A device in accordance with claim 21 , wherein said first surface is substantially perpendicular to radiation applied to said collimating device at said inlet.

25. A device in accordance with claim 21 , wherein said housing is configured to fit at least partially within a shielding pipe of a portable instrument.