Detection of Highly Enriched Uranium Using a Pulsed InertialElectrostatic Confinement D-D Fusion Device

摘要

This paper overviews the work that has been done to date towards therndevelopment of a inexpensive, reliable, and portable means to detect Highly EnrichedrnUranium (HEU) and other fissile materials. The specific goals of this research includernthe characterization of the current IEC ion source to determine optimum conditions forrnpulsed IEC operation, the development of a pulsed IEC neutron source that can providern1010 D-D neutron/s pulses, with a 108 average D-D neutron/s level, and the constructionrnof a detector system to detect delayed neutrons generated by a uranium target beingrnirradiated by a pulsed IEC neutron source. It is proposed that the completion of theserngoals will allow the construction of a proof-of-principle HEU detection system at UWMadison.