Neutron interrogation of actinides with a 17 MeV electron accelerator and first results from photon and neutron interrogation non-simultaneous measurements combination

A. Sari (1) , F. Carrel (1) , F. Laine (1) , A. Lyoussi (2, 3)

1 LCAE - Laboratoire Capteurs et Architectures Electroniques
2 LP2E - Laboratoire des Programmes Expérimentaux et d'Essais en Sûreté
3 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)

In this article, we demonstrate the feasibility of neutron interrogation using the conversion target of a 17 MeV linear electron accelerator as a neutron generator. Signals from prompt neutrons, delayed neutrons, and delayed gamma-rays, emitted by both uranium and plutonium samples were analyzed. First results from photon and neutron interrogation non-simultaneous measurements combination are also reported in this paper. Feasibility of this technique is shown in the frame of the measurement of uranium enrichment. The latter was carried out by combining detection of prompt neutrons from thermal fission and delayed neutrons from photofission, and by combining delayed gamma-rays from thermal fission and delayed gamma-rays from photofission.

Keywords: Photoneutron; Electron accelerator; Uranium; Photofission; Plutonium; Fission

Domains: Physics [physics]; Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]

A. Sari, F. Carrel, F. Laine, A. Lyoussi. Neutron interrogation of actinides with a 17 MeV electron accelerator and first results from photon and neutron interrogation non-simultaneous measurements combination. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2013, 312, pp.30-35. ⟨10.1016/j.nimb.2013.06.020⟩. ⟨cea-01816687⟩