Large Volume High Pressure Detectors for Nonproliferation and Arms Control

Instrumentation is very important for practical realization of nonproliferation and arms control international agreements. The semiconductor and scintillation-based detectors have certain disadvantages that, in some cases, preclude their use. The High Pressure Xenon (HPXe) detector has a typical energy resolution of approximately 2.5% at 1 MeV, has high hardness against radiation damage, can operate at temperatures up 200 degree Celsius and does not require a cryogenic system. All these properties allow for use of HPXe detectors for inspection on permanent control stations, as well as in field conditions. The HPXe detector is a cylindrical ionization chamber with a shielding grid filled with Xenon gas with a density of 0.5 g/cm3. The results of the detector testing and possible applications will be described.