Isotopic concentration of uranium from alpha spectrum of electrodeposited source on 4H-SiC detector at 500 °C

Neil R. Taylor; Nora Alnajjar; Joshua Jarrell; Praneeth Kandlakunta; Michael Simpson; Thomas E. Blue; Lei R. Cao

doi:10.1007/s10967-019-06492-y

Isotopic concentration of uranium from alpha spectrum of electrodeposited source on 4H-SiC detector at 500 °C

Neil R. Taylor, Nora Alnajjar, Joshua Jarrell, Praneeth Kandlakunta, Michael Simpson, Thomas E. Blue, Lei R. Cao

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

4H-SiC alpha detectors were fabricated with a 21-μm thick depletion depth and were packaged into a stainless-steel casing with a mineral insulation cable and a standard BNC connector. The packaged detectors had a resolution of 0.624% FWHM at 5.486 MeV prior to salt immersion. The detectors were then immersed in a LiCl–KCl–UCl₃ molten salt at 500 °C, from which a thin layer of depleted uranium was electrodeposited onto the detectors. Alpha particle emission spectra were collected from the electrodeposited source. The energy resolution of the surviving detector was 2.29% FWHM at 4.198 MeV and was sufficient to separate the ²³⁴U from ²³⁸U alpha emissions (577 keV difference). The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio and the isotopic concentrations of ²³⁴U and ²³⁸U were determined and are representative of the uranium source used in the electrodeposition.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	441-449
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Volume	320
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06492-y
State	Published - May 15 2019
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Acknowledgements This research is being performed using funding received from the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program (Grant No: 15-8074). We acknowledge the staff at OSU NanoTech West for supporting SiC device fabrication.

Funders	Funder number
DOE Office of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Energy University Program	15-8074

Keywords

Alpha spectroscopy
Depleted uranium
Electrodeposition
Isotopic concentration
SiC

Access to Document

10.1007/s10967-019-06492-y

Cite this

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title = "Isotopic concentration of uranium from alpha spectrum of electrodeposited source on 4H-SiC detector at 500 °C",

abstract = "4H-SiC alpha detectors were fabricated with a 21-μm thick depletion depth and were packaged into a stainless-steel casing with a mineral insulation cable and a standard BNC connector. The packaged detectors had a resolution of 0.624% FWHM at 5.486 MeV prior to salt immersion. The detectors were then immersed in a LiCl–KCl–UCl3 molten salt at 500 °C, from which a thin layer of depleted uranium was electrodeposited onto the detectors. Alpha particle emission spectra were collected from the electrodeposited source. The energy resolution of the surviving detector was 2.29% FWHM at 4.198 MeV and was sufficient to separate the 234U from 238U alpha emissions (577 keV difference). The 234U/238U activity ratio and the isotopic concentrations of 234U and 238U were determined and are representative of the uranium source used in the electrodeposition.",

keywords = "Alpha spectroscopy, Depleted uranium, Electrodeposition, Isotopic concentration, SiC",

author = "Taylor, {Neil R.} and Nora Alnajjar and Joshua Jarrell and Praneeth Kandlakunta and Michael Simpson and Blue, {Thomas E.} and Cao, {Lei R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Akad{\'e}miai Kiad{\'o}, Budapest, Hungary.",

year = "2019",

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T1 - Isotopic concentration of uranium from alpha spectrum of electrodeposited source on 4H-SiC detector at 500 °C

AU - Taylor, Neil R.

AU - Alnajjar, Nora

AU - Jarrell, Joshua

AU - Kandlakunta, Praneeth

AU - Simpson, Michael

AU - Blue, Thomas E.

AU - Cao, Lei R.

PY - 2019/5/15

Y1 - 2019/5/15

N2 - 4H-SiC alpha detectors were fabricated with a 21-μm thick depletion depth and were packaged into a stainless-steel casing with a mineral insulation cable and a standard BNC connector. The packaged detectors had a resolution of 0.624% FWHM at 5.486 MeV prior to salt immersion. The detectors were then immersed in a LiCl–KCl–UCl3 molten salt at 500 °C, from which a thin layer of depleted uranium was electrodeposited onto the detectors. Alpha particle emission spectra were collected from the electrodeposited source. The energy resolution of the surviving detector was 2.29% FWHM at 4.198 MeV and was sufficient to separate the 234U from 238U alpha emissions (577 keV difference). The 234U/238U activity ratio and the isotopic concentrations of 234U and 238U were determined and are representative of the uranium source used in the electrodeposition.

AB - 4H-SiC alpha detectors were fabricated with a 21-μm thick depletion depth and were packaged into a stainless-steel casing with a mineral insulation cable and a standard BNC connector. The packaged detectors had a resolution of 0.624% FWHM at 5.486 MeV prior to salt immersion. The detectors were then immersed in a LiCl–KCl–UCl3 molten salt at 500 °C, from which a thin layer of depleted uranium was electrodeposited onto the detectors. Alpha particle emission spectra were collected from the electrodeposited source. The energy resolution of the surviving detector was 2.29% FWHM at 4.198 MeV and was sufficient to separate the 234U from 238U alpha emissions (577 keV difference). The 234U/238U activity ratio and the isotopic concentrations of 234U and 238U were determined and are representative of the uranium source used in the electrodeposition.

KW - Alpha spectroscopy

KW - Depleted uranium

KW - Electrodeposition

KW - Isotopic concentration

KW - SiC

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