Comprehensive radioassays of samples using the PANDA device

The PANDA (Particles And Non-Destructive Analysis) device is a measuring system developed for non-destructive analysis of samples for safety, security and safeguards. It consists of two complementary measurement positions. The position sensitive alpha–gamma coincidence setup of PANDA has been updated with a pile-up rejection circuit. This article demonstrates, using a 241Am source, that this circuit can be used to identify gamma-ray sum peaks in the spectra. The second measurement position reported here hosts a 10-mm2 windowless silicon drift detector that detects electrons and X-rays with a very good energy resolution. An experimental value of 0.30 keV for full width at half maximum was obtained at 17.7 keV energy (Np X-rays). Conversion electron spectrometry, for example, provides an independent, complementary means to study actinides whose low energy transitions are often highly converted.