THE HIGH-PRECISION ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
Several factors limit the precision and accuracy which can be achieved in the isotopic analysis of uranium hexafluoride by a mass spectrometer. These include inadequate resolution, memory errors, statistical fluctuations in ion currents, amplifier noise, current noise, inefficient collection of ions, voltage coefficients in resistors and chemical contamination of samples. A description is given of a 90 deg sector field mass spectrometer of 30 cm radius, which is built and used to investigate the accuracy which can be achieved in practice. The precision (1 sigma ) of this instrument when measuring the fractional difference in isotope ratio between two samples is 5 x 10/sup -s/ at the 50% level of enrichment and 1.4 x 10-4 with natural uranium, for comparisons lasting 12 minutes. By suitable design of ion source and inlet system, the memory error in the measurement of the concentration difference between two samples is reduced to plus or minus 0.3% of the difference. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Capenhurst, Ches., Eng.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-017098
- OSTI ID:
- 4024144
- Report Number(s):
- DEG-Report-227
- Journal Information:
- J. Sci. Instr., Journal Name: J. Sci. Instr. Vol. Vol: 38
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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