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We describe a prototype γ-ray detector based on a metallic magnetic calorimeter with an energy resolution of 46 eV at 60 keV and a reproducible response function that follows a simple second-order polynomial. The simple detector calibration allows adding high-resolution spectra from different pixels and different cool-downs without loss in energy resolution to determine γ-ray centroids with high accuracy. As an example of an application in nuclear safeguards enabled by such a γ-ray detector, we discuss the non-destructive assay of 242Pu in a mixed-isotope Pu sample.

Non-destructive assay (NDA) of nuclear materials would benefit from gamma detectors with improved energy resolution in cases where line overlap in current Ge detectors limits NDA accuracy. We are developing metallic magnetic calorimeter (MMC) gamma-detectors for this purpose by electroplating 150 µm thick Au absorbers into microfabricated molds on top of Au:Er sensors. Initial tests under non-optimized conditions show an energy resolution of 200 eV FWHM at 60 keV. Monte Carlo simulations illustrate that this resolution is starting to be sufficient for direct detection of 242 Pu in plutonium separated from spent nuclear fuel.

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Cryogenic high-resolution γ -ray detectors can improve the accuracy of non-destructive assay (NDA) of nuclear materials in cases where conventional highpurity germanium detectors are limited by line overlap or by the Compton background. We have improved the performance of gamma detectors based on metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs) by separating the 0.5 × 2 × 0.25 mm 3 Au absorber from the Au:Er sensor with sixteen 30-µm-diameter Au posts. This ensures that the entire γ -ray energy thermalizes in the absorber before heating the Au:Er sensor, and improves the energy resolution at 35 mK to as low as 90 eV FWHM at 60 keV. This energy resolution enables the direct detection of γ -rays from Pu-242, an isotope that cannot be measured by traditional NDA and whose concentration is therefore inferred through correlations with other Pu isotopes. The Pu-242 concentration of 11.11 ± 0.42 % measured by NDA with MMCs agrees with mass spectrometry results and exceeds the accuracy of correlation measurements.

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Many nuclear safeguards applications could benefit from high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy achievable with metallic magnetic calorimeters. This dissertation covers the development of a system for these applications based on gamma-ray detectors developed at the University of Heidelberg. It demonstrates new calorimeters of this type, which achieved an energy resolution of 45.5 eV full-width at half-maximum at 59.54 keV, roughly ten times better than current state of the art high purity germanium detectors. This is the best energy resolution achieved with a gamma-ray metallic magnetic calorimeter at this energy to date. In addition to demonstrating a new benchmark in energy resolution, an experimental system for measuring samples with metallic magnetic calorimeters was constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This system achieved an energy resolution of 91.3 eV full-width at half-maximum at 59.54 keV under optimal conditions. Using this system it was possible to characterize the linearity of the response, the count-rate limitations, and the energy resolution as a function of temperature of the new calorimeter. With this characterization it was determined that it would be feasible to measure 242 Pu in a mixed isotope plutonium sample. A measurement of a mixed isotope plutonium sample was performed over the course of 12 days with a single two-pixel metallic magnetic calorimeter. The relative concentration of 242 Pu in comparison to other plutonium isotopes was determined by direct measurement to less than half a percent accuracy. This is comparable with the accuracy of the best-case scenario using traditional indirect methods. The ability to directly measure the relative concentration of 242 Pu in a sample could enable more accurate accounting and detection of indications of undeclared activities in nuclear safeguards, a better constraint on source material in forensic samples containing plutonium, and improvements in verification in a future plutonium disposition treaty.