High-Energy Laser-Accelerated Electron Beams for Long-Range Interrogation

Conference · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2009

OSTI ID:965339

Cummingham, N. J. ^[1]; Banerjee, Sudeep ^[1]; Ramanathan, Vidya ^[1]; Powell, Nathan ^[1]; Chandler-Smith, Nate ^[1]; Vane, C Randy ^[2]; Schultz, David Robert ^[2]; Pozzi, Sara ^[3]; Clarke, Shaun ^[3]; Beene, James R. ^[2]; Umstadter, Donald ^[1]

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1. University of Nebraska, Lincoln
2. ORNL
3. University of Michigan

We are studying the use of 0.1–1.0 GeV laser-accelerated electron beams as active interrogation probes for long-standoff radiography or nuclear activation of concealed special nuclear material. Use of beams in this energy range is largely unexplored, but such beams could provide notable advantages over lower-energy beams and x-rays. High-energy laser-accelerated electrons exhibit large penetration range through air and solids, and low beam divergence for both direct beams and secondary Bremsstrahlung x-rays. We present laboratory measurements of radiography and activation, using the high-power Diodes laser system at the University of Nebraska, as well as MCNP and GEANT Monte Carlo simulation results used to aid experiment design and interpretation.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 965339
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCELERATORS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
DESIGN
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONS
ENERGY RANGE
LASERS
PROBES
SIMULATION