Development of Portable Safeguards Equipment based on Quad-CZT Array for Verification of Uranium Enrichment On-site

NaI is featured by its simple components and user convenience, however suffers from its lower resolution. Thus, the demand exists for development of a new safeguards inspection device which has higher resolution than NaI and better mobility than HPGe. Korea Institute of Nuclear nonproliferation and Control (KINAC) has developed a new safeguards system based on the quad-CdZnTe (CZT) array in order to verify uranium enrichment on-site. CZT is typically limited by its physical size so the present authors combined four CZT detectors (Ritec CZT/500), which are daisy-chained and function as a single detector. Quad-CZT arrays for verification of uranium enrichment with the purpose of safeguards inspection on-site have been designed, built, and tested. The design concepts were to enhance mobility, user convenience, and detector efficiency. Moreover, those arrays can be expected to be used in various safeguards activities such as the IAEA PIV (Physical Inventory Verification).