Portable Electron Accelerator Development for Advanced SNM Interrogation and Verification Systems

Electron accelerators that produce continuous (DC) or continuous wave (CW) electron beams at very high repetition rates are essential for use in rapid Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence and EZ-3DTM imaging technologies. While isotopic identification of shielded materials is now possible, accelerator portability and reasonable cost of ownership are lacking for critical special nuclear material (SNM) interrogation and verification processes. With the availability of new materials, computing power, and components that were unheard of 50 years ago, an advanced betatron design is proposed to provide an affordable, high duty cycle, portable accelerator that would match the requirements of high rate individual photon counting and spectroscopy that would allow identification of SNM. Proposed is an advanced electron accelerator that operates at greater than 100X the frequency of existing betatrons, produces greater than 100X the current of existing betatrons, occupies (including power supplies) ~70 ft3, and will facilitate integration with current interrogation systems. In Phase I, we will implement the electron beam orbital dynamics and magnetic field designs. Design specifications for the Phase II small footprint prototype will be delivered in Phase I. Phase III commercialization probability for the portable, high duty cycle electron accelerator is high, with widespread interest and applications.