Nuclear recoil spectroscopy of levitated particles

Journal Article · 05 November 2018 · Physical Review A

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.98.052103 · OSTI ID:1482945

Malyzhenkov, Alexander  ^[1]; Lebedev, Vyacheslav ^[2]; Castro, Alonso  ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb, IL (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Here, we propose a method for the detection and characterization of nuclear decay processes. Specifically, we describe how nuclear decay recoil can be observed within small particles levitated in an optical trap with high positional resolution. Precise measurements of the magnitude of each recoil as well as their rate of occurrence can provide accurate information about the isotopic composition of a radioactive sample. We expect that this technique for nuclear material characterization will be especially useful in the area of nuclear forensic analysis.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1482945
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-18-23548
• Journal Information: Physical Review A, Journal Name: Physical Review A Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 98; ISSN PLRAAN; ISSN 2469-9926
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English