Optimization approach of gamma spectrometer measurements for accurate radioactive materials characterization

Abstract

The materials characterization based on gamma measurements is one of the main features for verifying the radioactive materials for safeguards purposes. This work focuses on the optimization approach in order to find solutions that include some influence parameters, which should be taken into consideration during measurements. The considered samples in our work are certified reference nuclear materials of chemical composition (U3O8) with different enrichment ratios ranging from 0.31 wt.% to 4.46 wt.%. The gamma spectrometer based on a planar high-purity germanium detector of high-resolution was used in the current study. The study of various setups was experimentally carried out for different cans at different positions for different energy lines. The verified parameters influencing the characterization of the measured samples have been estimated. This approach for the measurement setup of the measured gamma spectra has been successfully explored to be very affected by different parameters such as the source to detector position and the various enrichment ratios. Consequently, the verified and characterized samples could be estimated based on this optimization approach.

Keywords

• gamma spectrum
• uranium enrichment
• high-purity germanium detector
• count rate