AVS 65th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Actinides and Rare Earths Focus Topic Thursday Sessions
       Session AC+AS+SA-ThM

Invited Paper AC+AS+SA-ThM1
Electron Microscopy in Nuclear Forensics

Thursday, October 25, 2018, 8:00 am, Room 202C

Session: Nuclear Power, Forensics, and Other Applications
Presenter: Edgar Buck, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Authors: E.C. Buck, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
D.R. Reilly, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
J.M. Schwantes, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
J.A. Soltis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
T.Q. Meadows, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
D.A. Meier, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
J.F. Corbey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Recent advances in electron microscopy both in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and the ability to perform in-situ chemistry experiments, present enormous opportunities to the nuclear forensic field. Extraction of specific particles of interest with dual-beam SEM-FIB instruments can be readily applied plutonium-contaminated materials. Furthermore, other developments in microscopy have enabled in-situ monitoring of interfacial processes and 3D tomographic views of specimens and phases. Several new advances in technology have enabled great advances and potential for nuclear science including nuclear forensics. These include dual-beam ion-electron systems for precise sample isolation and preparation, the electromagnetic lens aberration-corrector, high-count capacity x-ray detector systems, faster digital cameras, high performance electron backscattered diffraction systems in combination with 3D visualization tools, application of cryoTEM methods to material science, as well as micro-fabricated in-situ cells that enable direct observation of chemical and electrochemical processes in the EM. The application of these technologies to nuclear forensics will be discussed.