Tamper-indicating enclosures (TIEs) are used in treaty verification regimes to ensure that monitored items such as containers of nuclear material or inspectorate equipment enclosures are not accessed without detection. While tamper-indicating devices (TIDs) are used to detect unauthorized opening of separable parts (for example, a lid or door), TIEs are volumetric in nature and are deployed over an entire item. Current TIE approaches are generally based on (1) passive materials in which an inspector qualitatively inspects the surface for anomalies, (2) active approaches such as conductive materials or fiber meshes that provide a tamper alert, and (3) external equipment used to examine a material for anomalies such as eddy current. Sandia is currently performing R&D on approaches that provide a visually obvious response to tamper such that the tamper attempt is readily seen by an inspector without the need for external equipment. Two approaches are under investigation - one based on microcapsules that can be sprayed or painted onto existing surfaces, and one that can be used to develop custom equipment (the subject of this paper).
Year
2020
Abstract