Uncertainty of Plutonium Isotopic Measurements with Microcalorimeter and High-Purity Germanium Detectors

Hoover, A.; Winkler, R.; Rabin, Michael W.; Bennett, Douglas A.; Doriese, W. B.; Fowler, Joseph W.; Hayes-Wehle, James; Horansky, Robert D.; Reintsema, C. D.; Schmidt, D. R.; Vale, Leila R.; Ullom, Joel N.; Schaffer, K. K.

doi:10.1109/tns.2014.2332275

Cited by 9 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(18 reference statements)

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“…High-quality spectral data suitable for quantitative analysis were collected from reference standards with well-established isotopic compositions (see Table 1). Specifically, we obtained data from: PIDIE samples 1, 3, 6; CBNM samples 61, 70, 84, 93; and FZC-158 [Hoover, 2014] [Winkler, 2015]. The mass of these samples ranges from 0.4 for the PIDIE series, 5.5 g for the CBNM series, and 0.7 g for FZC-158.…”

Section: Instrument Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Initially the work focused on statistical (or random) uncertainty [Hoover, 2013]. This was later expanded to include systematic uncertainties [Hoover, 2014]. As is clearly evident in Figure 8, the 100 keV region of Pu samples is dense with gamma-ray lines.…”

Section: Quantitative Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 3 summarizes the approximate order of magnitude uncertainty for each effect. A detailed accounting of these values across isotope ratios and sample composition is available in [Hoover, 2014]. A key point is evident from the data.…”

Section: Figure 13 -Summary Of Microcalorimeter Isotopic Ratio Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adjustment , but much smaller uncertainties in the microcalorimeter analysis (red highlight). [Hoover, 2014] of the branching fractions might reduce the overall systematic uncertainty of analysis results, but would require a large library of measured spectra from a variety of items. This approach could be interpreted by some as the application of ad hoc correction factors, thereby reducing the perceived level of scientific rigor.…”

Section: Figure 13 -Summary Of Microcalorimeter Isotopic Ratio Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also at this time new algorithms for pulse-processing in high event-rate scenarios were developed, showing that pile-up pulses could be used for analysis [Alpert, 2013]. In 2014, as a follow-on to the paper on statistical uncertainty, we reported on systematic uncertainty and identified limiting factors of the analysis for HPGe and microcalorimeter data [Hoover, 2014]. We also demonstrated operation of the 256pixel array for total event rates exceeding 1 kcps, and published a summary of Pu measurements using the 256-pixel array [Winkler, 2015].…”

Section: Project Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Progress, Performance, and Prospects of Ultra-High Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometers

Hoover¹,

Bennett²,

Croce³

et al. 2017

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Section: Instrument Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quantitative Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 13 -Summary Of Microcalorimeter Isotopic Ratio Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 13 -Summary Of Microcalorimeter Isotopic Ratio Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Project Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Progress, Performance, and Prospects of Ultra-High Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometers

Hoover¹,

Bennett²,

Croce³

et al. 2017

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256-pixel microcalorimeter array for high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy of mixed-actinide materials

Winkler

Hoover

Rabin

et al. 2015

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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8The application of cryogenic microcalorimeter detectors to γ-ray spectroscopy 9 allows for measurements with unprecedented energy resolution. These detec-10 tors are ideally suited for γ-ray spectroscopy applications for which the mea-11 surement quality is limited by the spectral overlap of many closely spaced tran-12 sitions using conventional detector technologies. The non-destructive analysis 13 of mixed-isotope Pu materials is one such application where the precision can 14 be potentially improved utilizing microcalorimeter detectors compared to cur-15 rent state-of-the-art high-purity Ge detectors (HPGe). The LANL-NIST γ-ray 16 spectrometer, a 256-pixel microcalorimeter array based on transition-edge sen-17 sors (TESs), was recently commissioned and used to collect data on a variety 18 of Pu isotopic standards to characterize the instrument performance. These 19 measurements represent the first time the simultaneous readout of all 256 pix-20 els for measurements of mixed-isotope Pu materials has been achieved. The 21LANL-NIST γ-ray spectrometer has demonstrated an average pixel resolution 22 of 55 eV full-width-at-half-maximum at 100 keV, nearly an order of magnitude 23 better than HPGe detectors. Some challenges of the analysis of many-channel 24 ultra-high resolution data and the techniques used to produce quality spectra 25 for isotopic analysis will be presented. The LANL-NIST γ-ray spectrometer has 26 also demonstrated stable operation and obtained high resolution measurements 27 Email address: rwinkler@lanl.gov (R. Winkler) at total array event rates beyond 1 kHz. For a total event rate of 1.25 kHz, ap-28 proximately 5.6 cps/pixel, a 72.2 eV average FWHM for the 103 keV photopeak 29 of 153 Gd was achieved. 30 Introduction 32 Detectors based on cryogenic microcalorimeter sensors have emerged as pow-33 erful tools for the detection of a variety of radiation types. These novel detectors 34 are capable of photon and charged particle measurements with extraordinary 35 energy resolution and have been essential for high-precision measurements in a 36 multitude of spectroscopy applications. Experiments employing microcalorime-37 ter detectors span a wide energy range; from sub-keV X-ray measurements to 38 α-decay spectroscopy beyond an MeV [1-4]. In the realm of γ-ray spectroscopy, 39 microcalorimeter detectors have achieved energy resolutions with FWHM res-40 olution as low as 22 eV at 97.4 keV [5]. In the following, the operation and 41 performance of the 256-pixel LANL-NIST microcalorimeter array and its appli-42 cation to difficult γ-and X-ray emission measurements are presented. While 43 the applications for this instrument in γ-ray spectroscopy are plentiful, this ar-44 ticle focuses on the high-precision, non-destructive analyses of complex, mixed-45 actinide materials. These material types emit a complex spectrum of both X-46and γ-rays, particularly in the 100 keV region, that results in spectra containing 47 many strongly overlapping peaks in measurements performed with state-of-the-48 art high-p...

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Improved plutonium and americium photon branching ratios from microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy

Yoho

Koehler

Becker

et al. 2020

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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Uncertainty of Plutonium Isotopic Measurements with Microcalorimeter and High-Purity Germanium Detectors

Cited by 9 publications

References 20 publications

Progress, Performance, and Prospects of Ultra-High Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometers

Progress, Performance, and Prospects of Ultra-High Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometers

256-pixel microcalorimeter array for high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy of mixed-actinide materials

Improved plutonium and americium photon branching ratios from microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy

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