Program Manager: Dr. William Coblenz
The goal of the Compact Directional Neutron Source Program is to demonstrate the use of pyroelectric crystals to generate the high voltages needed for ion accelerators used in pulsed neutron sources. High voltages sufficient to produce forward scattered neutron beams will be demonstrated. Directional neutron sources will enable increased standoff detection capabilities for explosives. It is envisioned that the neutron probe to be developed in this system will be used as part of an orthogonal sensor system where complementary information is used to achieve actionable information.
Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is one of the most sensitive techniques used for qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of multiple major, minor, and trace elements in samples from almost every conceivable field of scientific or technical interest. For many elements, NAA offers sensitivities that are superior to those possible by any other technique on the order of parts per billion or better. This neutron “flashlight” envisioned by this program will enable future high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) Army and Marine explosive detection systems on manned or unmanned platforms.
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