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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Latest News
Inkjet droplets of radioactive material enable quick, precise testing at NIST
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a technique called cryogenic decay energy spectrometry capable of detecting single radioactive decay events from tiny material samples and simultaneously identifying the atoms involved. In time, the technology could replace characterization tasks that have taken months and could support rapid, accurate radiopharmaceutical development and used nuclear fuel recycling, according to an article published on July 8 by NIST.
Anthony P. Belian, Edward C. Morse, Mike Tobin
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 1167-1171
Neutron Sources for Fusion Technology Testing | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11963106
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) features optical components with line-of-sight access to the 14 MeV neutrons generated by fusion reactions in the target. Two of these components are a final focusing lens, made of fused silica, and a frequency conversion crystal comprised of two potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals.
The Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS-I), which was previously operated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), has now been re-installed at UC Berkeley and is being used for the studies of neutron irradiation of fused silica and KDP. The machine has been installed so as to re-utilize the concrete structure that once housed the Berkeley Research Reactor, now decommissioned. The RTNS uses a 2 - 5 mA beam of deuterons impinging upon a spinning internally cooled tritiated copper target with a 110 Ci tritium inventory. Maximum beam energy is 399 KeV. The 14 MeV neutron production rate is 1.0×1012 n/sec. Some new features of the machine include fiber-optic coupled microprocessor control of accelerator parameters, a cryogenic tritium collection system, and a scrubber system for exhaust tritium management.
