Application of cadmium-zinc-telluride detectors in U-235 enrichment measurements

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10163810· OSTI ID:10163810

Ruhter, W D; Gunnink, R ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States). Nuclear Chemistry Div.

High-resolution, gamma- and x-ray spectrometry are used routinely in nuclear safeguards verification measurements of plutonium and uranium in the field. These measurements are mostly performed with high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors, that require cooling to liquid-nitrogen temperatures, thus limiting their utility in field and unattended safeguards measurement applications. NaI scintillation detectors do not require cooling, but their moderate energy resolution (10% at 122 keV) is insufficient in most cases for reliable verification measurements. Semiconductor detectors that operate at room temperature, such as cadmium-zinc-telluride (CdZnTe) detectors, with energy resolution performance reaching 2.0% at 122 keV may complement HPGe detectors for certain safeguards verification applications. The authors used a 5x5x5 mm CdZnTe detector to measure U-235 enrichments ranging from 3% to 75%. They use a spectrum analysis technique that fits U-235, U-238, and U K x-ray response profiles to data in the 89- to 100-keV region of gamma-ray spectrum. From the relative magnitudes of the U-235 and U-238 profiles they determine the U-235 enrichment with an accuracy of about 10% with CdZnTe detectors.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10163810
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--117227; CONF-940524--9; ON: DE94014712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001
440103
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCURACY
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAMMA SPECTRA
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
ISOTOPE RATIO
MEASURING METHODS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTATION
SAFEGUARDS
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 238
X-RAY SPECTRA