Detection of radioactive isotopes by using laser Compton scattered γγ-ray beams

Non-destructive detection and assay of nuclear materials is one of the most critical issues for both the management of nuclear waste and the non-proliferation of nuclear materials. We use laser Compton scattered (LCS) γγ-ray beams and the nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) for the non-destructive detection of radioactive materials. Quasi-monochromatic and energy-tunable LCS γγ-ray beams help improve the signal-to-noise ratio during NRF measurements. We developed the conceptual design of a high-flux γγ-ray source with an energy-recovery linac, which produces a γγ-ray beam at the flux of 1013photons/s. In this paper, we discuss the execution of simulation studies using a Monte Carlo code, results of a proof-of-principle experiment for isotope detection, and the status of the development of LCS X-ray and γγ-ray facilities.