National and International Security Applications of Cryogenic Detectors - Mostly Nuclear Safeguards

Journal Article · Wed Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2009 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3292444· OSTI ID:21325836

Rabin, Michael W ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (United States)

As with science, so with security--in both arenas, the extraordinary sensitivity of cryogenic sensors enables high-confidence detection and high-precision measurement even of the faintest signals. Science applications are more mature, but several national and international security applications have been identified where cryogenic detectors have high potential payoff. International safeguards and nuclear forensics are areas needing new technology and methods to boost speed, sensitivity, precision and accuracy. Successfully applied, improved nuclear materials analysis will help constrain nuclear materials diversion pathways and contribute to treaty verification. Cryogenic microcalorimeter detectors for X-ray, gamma-ray, neutron, and alpha-particle spectrometry are under development with these aims in mind. In each case the unsurpassed energy resolution of microcalorimeters reveals previously invisible spectral features of nuclear materials. Preliminary results of quantitative analysis indicate substantial improvements are still possible, but significant work will be required to fully understand the ultimate performance limits.

• OSTI ID: 21325836
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1185, Issue 1; Conference: LTD13: 13. international workshop on low temperature detectors, Stanford, CA (United States), 20-24 Jul 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3292444; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCURACY
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY
CALORIMETERS
CRYOGENICS
ENERGY RESOLUTION
GAMMA DETECTION
MAGNETIC FLUX
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS DIVERSION
PERFORMANCE
SAFEGUARDS
SENSITIVITY
SENSORS
SIGNALS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
VERIFICATION
X-RAY DETECTION