Application of CZT detectors in nuclear materials safeguards

Conference · Wed Apr 08 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:3014

Clark, D ^[1]; Lavietes, A D; Ruhter, W D

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1. LLNL

High-resolution, gamma- and X-my spectrometry are used routinely in nuclear materials safeguards vetication measurements. These measurements are mostly performed with high-purity germanium (HJ?Ge) detectors, which require cooling at liquid-nitrogen temperatures, thus limiting their utility in field and unattended safeguards measurement applications. Sodium iodide (NaI) scintillation detectors do not require cooling, but their energy resolution (10% at 122 keV) is insu&ient for many verification measurements. Semiconductor detectors that operate at room temperatures, such as cadmium-zinc-telhuide (CZT) detectors, with energy resolution performance reaching 2.0% at 122 keV may be used for certain safeguards verification applications. We have developed hardware to utilize CZT detectors in X- and gamma-ray measurement, systems and software to apply such a system in measuring 215U enrichment for safeguards verification purposes. The paper reports on the CZT detector-based measurement system and measurement results obtained with it. The paper also discusses work on additional improvements to broaden the applications of the

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 3014
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-130548; GJ0400000; ON: DE00003014
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
Gamma Spectroscopy
Nuclear Materials Management
Safeguards
Semiconductor Detectors