A Portable Self-Contained Spectrometer System for Safeguard Applications

Constellation Technology Corp. has developed a small, self-contained gamma-ray spectrometer that is well-suited for use in safeguard, environmental monitoring and nonproliferation applications. This system utilizes a mercuric iodide detector which yields < 3 percent resolution for the Cs-137 662 keV peak. The unit incorporates the detector in a removable module that allows other detector materials and probe configurations to be used. All functions associated with a spectroscopy sys- tem are provided, including multiple shaping times, gain settings, high-voltage bias settings, 4,096-channel analog-to-digital converter and nonvolatile storage of up to 64 spectra. In addition to these functions, the unit incorporates a graphical LCD display. This allows near-real-time display of spectral information and easy selection of operating parameters without the need for a separate computer. The unit also features basic analysis and isotope identification. The unit incorporates readily available alkaline batteries to provide greater than eight-hour operation and is approximately the size of a small book. Test results and design considerations will be addressed.