Development status of nondestructive assay systems using nuclear resonance fluorescence

Year
2015
Author(s)
M. Koizumi - Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
T. Hayakawa - Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Quantum Beam Science Directorate
R. Hajima - Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Quantum Beam Science Directorate
M. Seya - Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security
M. Fujiwara - Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University
Christopher T. Angell - Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Quantum Beam Science Directorate
Abstract
We study a new nondestructive assay/detection method for fissionable isotopes such as U-235 and Pu-239 hidden by shields like metal plates and water. The fissionable isotope is measured using nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) with a monochromatic gamma-ray beam generated by Compton scattering of electrons and laser photons (LCS gamma-ray beam). There are two user facilities providing LCS gamma-ray beam with energies of MeV, Duke University (U.S.) and NewSUBARU (Japan). We present a plan to extend the LCS gamma-ray beam source at NewSUBARU to study the nondestructive measurement method using NRF with LCS beam. The energy of the LCS gamma-ray beam is determined by the energy of the electron beam and the wavelength of the laser. We can generate the LCS gamma-rays from the collision between laser light and electron with energy of 1 GeV. The operation of the electron ring can be carried out using the “Top-Up” mode in the case of 1 GeV. We can obtain the gamma-ray beam with the maximum energy of 16.8 MeV using the Nd: YVO4 laser ?m with a wavelength of about 1 ?m . We introduce a fiber laser with a wavelength of about 2 to generate a gamma-ray beam with the maximum energy of 8.4 MeV. This energy is suitable for NRF with lead targets. We study the measurement technique using this LCS gamma-ray beam.