ENHANCING THE SECURITY OF TIDS USING OSL

Tamper indicating devices (TIDs) such as tags and seals are integral to the safety and security of both equipment and nuclear material. They find prominence in both safeguards and arms control, yet many of the tags and seals in use today have been around for many years, with little or no substantial modifications or security updates over their lifetime. There are many very simple changes or additions that can be implemented that will significantly enhance the security and robustness of both tags and seals. Incorporating optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) material is one example. OSL materials have found wide use in the nuclear community, currently in the form of millions of personnel dosimeters. However, the same properties that make it useful for dosimetry can be utilized as a security feature in tags and seals to provide authentication, and potentially unique identification of the TID. When OSL materials are interrogated with specific wavelengths of light, they will excite and emit light at different, specific wavelengths. PNNL has undertaken to utilize this unique property of OSL material and incorporate the material into commercially available tags and seals. Currently PNNL is exploring two options which include (1) working with a manufacturer to incorporate OSL prior to distribution of product, or (2) integration by the tag/seal deployment authority into commercially purchased TIDs just prior to use. PNNL is also developing a hand-held reader to interrogate and measure the light emitted from tags and seals with OSL incorporated. Evolution of this endeavor, including progress made to date, and future applications of OSL material for authentication and tamper indication purposes are discussed in this paper. This project has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nuclear Verification (DOE/NNSA/NA-243).