Abstract
An application of resonance ionization spectroscopy to transuranic waste assay is described that provides detection limits at or below the 10 nCi g** minus **1 level. The technique involves the resonance ionization of noble gas isotopes produced by either photon or neutron-induced fission. Using moderate photon or thermal neutron fluxes, it is shown that 10 nCi g** minus **1 concentrations of **2**3**9Pu and **2**3**3U can be detected in a single pulse of a commercially available Nd:YAG laser by detecting Xe atoms among the fission products. Using a novel counting scheme wherein the total xenon population is utilized, even a low fission cross-section transuranic such as **2**4**1Am can be detected at the 10 nCi g** minus **1 level. Interferences associated with the multiphoton, off-resonance ionization of impurities are discussed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 317-322 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Nuclear instruments and methods |
Volume | 173 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1980 |
Scopus Subject Areas
- General Medicine