Capabilities
The Radiation Detection & Nuclear Sciences (RDNS) group at PNNL represents a broad range of unique world-class capabilities that are essential to numerous programs within the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security and national security community. The primary technical focus of this group is developing improved methods and instruments for measuring radionuclide signatures that are important to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, treaty compliance, and law enforcement.
The techniques used or under development include, radiation physics, light detection, particle detection, development of scintillating materials, and fieldable forensic instrumentation. The drivers for these capabilities span the spectrum from fundamental science (neutrino mass detection) to direct implementation (radiation detector installation at ports of entry) and all degrees of applied science in between.
The key capabilities of the RDNS group are the following:
Ultra-Low Background Radiation Detection
The RDNS group has become an international leader in ultra-low background measurements of trace quantities of isotopes by developing detectors and specialty materials to create an ultra-low background environment for conducting counting measurements. As an example, we have demonstrated gamma spectroscopy with isotope levels six orders-of-magnitude below commercially available instruments. Our group has developed particular expertise in multi-coincidence systems and methods, fabrication of ultra-low background detectors from ultra pure materials and development of pulse shape processing analysis techniques. Facilities
Advanced Radiation Detector Development and Testing
The RDNS group has unique expertise in adapting and improving conventional radiation detection approaches and developing novel approaches to address emerging needs for quantifying a range of radiation signatures, including neutron, gamma, and beta emissions. The group also maintains an extremely diverse selection of radioactive sources for testing novel detectors. Facilities
Instrument Systems Development and Engineering
We have broad experience in applying a systematic approach to the development and deployment of instrumentation. Using integrated teams of experts covering all aspects of the instrument (from the fundamental science to mechanical design and packaging, electronics, computer architecture and software, user interface, prototyping, testing, and deployment), we turn laboratory systems into automated, rugged, fieldable systems. This often calls for the integration of disparate sensors into an optimized or customized package, such as small and compact or low-power systems. Facilities
Material Development for Radiation Detection
The RDNS group uses and maintains state-of-the-art equipment for producing novel materials for radiation detection. These include glass fiber drawing equipment, crystal growth, microlithographybenches, developmental high-pressure environments (not available commercially) as well as vacuum processing chambers, and vapor deposition apparatus. The thrust of these efforts is to invent and develop the next generation of materials for collection, separation, and detection of radionuclides.
Border and Interdiction Technology
The RDNS group provides the technical expertise underpinning the largest deployment in the U.S. of radiation portal monitors for border security. These applications leverage PNNL's unique expertise in getting the most information possible from commercial technologies. This capability includes a large outdoor testing facility for full-scale equipment on trucks and cargo containing radioactive sources. Facilities
Data Analysis
Our group provides an extensive knowledge base on radiation detection physics and nuclear physics that guides algorithm development to extract maximum information from measurements. This capability provides the means to plan data collection, determine uncertainties in experiments, and provide radiation transport modeling and simulation and to conduct scenario analysis.
Updated: December 2005