Explosive detection using 14 MeV neutron generator

Trafficking of explosive materials through various routes is a threat to international security. The neutron based explosive detection technique is found to be one of the promising non-destructive techniques to detect concealed explosives. Explosives are special type of material consisting of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. The elemental analysis of these elements can be done by the neutron activation analysis method where characteristic prompt γ are produced from interaction of fast or thermal neutrons. Fast neutrons produce prompt γ in carbon and oxygen where as the thermal neutrons do it through capture in hydrogen and nitrogen. 14 MeV neutrons from D-T generator is a good choice for both the purposes. To create a database for different type of explosive materials we are carrying out various experiments in our laboratory. We have one compact neutron generator that can produce 14 MeV neutrons with neutron yield of 1 x 1010 neutrons per second. We are creating databases for the explosive like ammonium nitrate and melamine (equivalent to TNT) using the compact neutron generator and various type of detectors like HPGe, NaI, and BGO. Here in this paper some of the results of these experiments will be presented. (author)