|
|||
| ARGONNE HOME PAGE | ARGONNE INTRANET | NEWS HOME PAGE | BACK ISSUES |
|
|
|||
| ARGONNE HOME PAGE | ARGONNE INTRANET | NEWS HOME PAGE | BACK ISSUES |
A small, portable detector for finding concealed nuclear weapons and materials has been developed by a team in Argonne's Technology Development Division.
When fully developed, the device could assist international inspectors charged with preventing smuggling and unauthorized use of nuclear weapons and materials.
The heart of the Argonne device is a small wafer of gallium arsenide (GaAs), a semiconducting material similar to silicon. When coated with boron or lithium, GaAs can detect neutrons, such as those emitted by the fissile materials that fuel nuclear weapons. Patents are pending on several detectors and their components.
The wafers are small, require less than 50 volts of power and operate at room temperature. They also can withstand relatively high radiation fields and do not degrade over time.
"The working portion of the wafer is about the diameter of a collar button, but thinner," said Raymond Klann, who leads the group that developed the wafer and detector. "It is fairly straightforward to make full-sized detector systems the size of a deck of cards, or even smaller. Something that small can be used covertly, if necessary, by weapons inspectors to monitor nuclear facilities."
Other members of Klann's team are Charles L. Fink (TD-ret.) and Patrick DeLurgio (ECT).
The key to detection, Klann said, is to coat the gallium arsenide with something like boron or lithium. When neutrons strike the coating, they produce a cascade of charged particles that is easy to detect.
The wafers are made by inexpensive, conventional microchip-processing techniques, Klann said. They can be tailor-made for specific applications by varying the type and thickness of the coating.
Compared to other neutron detectors, Klann's have a number of advantages. One common type of neutron detector is based on a tube of gas, which is ionized when neutrons pass through the tube. These detectors are larger and require more power than the GaAs detector.
Another common neutron detector uses silicon semiconductors. Compared to the GaAs wafer, silicon-based detectors use more power, require cooling and degrade when exposed to radiation.
Klann's team also found that detection is improved by etching the wafer with cylindrical holes, like the dimples on a golf ball.
"We're testing various coating materials and thicknesses," he said, "as well as various combinations of hole sizes and spacings to find the best configurations for specific applications."
Klann's group has built and successfully demonstrated prototype detectors. Argonne is now looking for commercial partners interested in developing the detectors for the marketplace.
Other possible uses for GaAs-based detectors include high-vacuum space applications or any other work requiring neutron detection.
Development of the wafer and detector was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.
-- David Baurac
Katie Williams (OPA) is used to writing the news, but she was making news this spring when she was hot on the trail to unlocking the case that has baffled Americans for more than 30 years.
For the past three years, Williams and her fellow journalism students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been unraveling the identity of "Deep Throat," the mysterious source who helped to bring down the Nixon administration.
The Investigative Reporting class sifted through 16,000 pages of FBI documents from the Watergate investigation to narrow down the list of possible Deep Throats from hundreds of people to seven men. Professor Bill Gaines, a former investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, said he chose this topic because "no newspaper or government agency would have done it."
"At first it was overwhelming because there was so much to learn," Williams said. "It was like being thrown into an alternate universe with all the facts. Some of us had never heard of Deep Throat."
Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and former editor Ben Bradlee have concealed the identity of the source who guided the Post to expose the criminal acts that led to President Nixon's resignation.
After interviewing former White House insiders and examining the original manuscript for Woodward and Bernstein's book-turned-movie "All the President's Men," the class narrowed the field of possible Deep Throats to seven men. Williams and most of her classmates believe Deep Throat is former Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan.
The project has gained national spotlight on "Dateline NBC" and the Discovery Channel, and Williams still is glowing from the camera lights.
"It's neat to see the press responding positively to our hard work," Williams said. "We never expected to be in the limelight this much, but I guess after three decades of suspense, people are itching to know."
-- Jodi Genshaft
Human Resources has scheduled the final video makeup classes in July for those supervisors who have not taken HR257, "Workplace Conduct for Supervisors." Sessions will be held:
Wednesday, July 10, at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, July 10, at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 18, at 1:30 p.m.
Friday, July 19, at 9 a.m.
All sessions will be held in Building 201, Room 190.
This is a required course for all supervisors. Anyone who has supervisory responsibilities and has not taken this course should attend one of these video makeup sessions.
For more information, contact Charlyne Robinson (HR) at ext. 2-8786.
Argonne Combined Appeal (ACA), the laboratory's giving campaign, kicks off the 2002 drive with its annual raffle drawing, to be held at the Argonne-East employee picnic Saturday, July 13.
Raffle tickets will be sold during lunch in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria Monday, July 1, through Wednesday, July 3, and the week of July 8-12. Tickets cost 50 cents each or 12 for $5. Employees can buy tickets from ACA steering committee members and ACA coordinators. Tickets also will be sold at the Argonne-East picnic.
The raffle supports the ACA, which allows employees to contribute money to metropolitan Chicago's United Way/Crusade of Mercy Inc., United Way of Will County and 18 other health and welfare agencies.
The raffle drawing will take place at the picnic. Winners do not need to attend the event to claim their prizes.
Prizes include gift certificates to Traverso's, Kerry Piper and William Tell restaurants as well as golf rounds at Broken Arrow Golf Club and Mistwood Golf Course. Four cell phones from Cell Air Communications are among the other prizes to be raffled off.
Hats for sale
Hats embroidered with the Argonne logo will be sold in the Building 213 Cafeteria along with the raffle tickets, and at the picnic. Hats cost $10. Colors available are stone, denim and olive.
More information is available on the ACA home page.
AT&T Wireless is offering a special rate to Argonne and U.S. Department of Energy employees for mobile phone service.
The offer includes seven percent off the monthly rates plan, 15 percent bonus minutes on selected plans, free activation on plans costing $29.99 or more, and 25 percent off all wireless phones.
For more information on rate plans and current promotions, or to sign up for service, visit an AT&T Wireless Store, call (800) 388-3235 or contact Account Representative Angie Hutson at (312) 258-2838 or angie.hutson@attws.com. Employees should mention foundation account number 8971.
This article should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the laboratory or DOE.
The Guest House Restaurant at Argonne-East will be closed Thursday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday. It will be open for breakfast and lunch Friday, July 5, but will not serve dinner.
The 401 Grill will be open from 11:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday, July 4. It will resume regular hours Friday, July 5.
July's offerings by Argonne-East Human Resources include classes in Russian, paper management and a CPS Review.
To enroll, contact a Training Management System representative. Call Betty Iwan (HR) at ext. 2-3410 for more information. For a complete description of each course, visit the HR Web site.
"Russian Language" (HR164) offers both
beginning and intermediate coverage of reading, writing and speaking Russian. Tuesdays and
Thursdays, beginning July 2, in Building 208, Room A262 (Conference Room B) The intermediate class
begins at 10 a.m., and the beginning class starts at 11 a.m.
"CPS Review: Management" (HR261)
covers behavior science, human resources management and organizations and management. Tuesdays and
Thursdays from July 9 - Aug. 8, from 11:30 - 1 p.m. in Building 201, Room 238.
"Win The Paper Chase" (HR400) can help
increase productivity and efficiency in both the retrieval of files and desk organization. This is
a companion course to "Desk for Success" (see below) and the courses should be taken together.
Monday, July 29, from 8:30 a.m.- noon in Building 402, Room A1100.
"Desk for Success" (HR401) covers
organizing the desktop, creating an action file, sorting mail rapidly, and creating a personal
reference book. This is a companion course to "Win The Paper Chase." Monday, July 29, from 1 - 5
p.m. in Building 402, Room A1100.
NEW ARRIVALS
A girl, born June 17 to Annette and Chris Benmore (IPNS); a girl, born May 15 to first-time parents Amanda and Stephen Ciatti (ES); a girl, Madison Kathleen, born May 7 to Rick and Renee Netcel (PFS-WM); a girl, Caitlin Elizabeth, born May 8 to Bill and Julie McGillen (OCF-PRO); twin boys, Khaled and Jad, born April 9 to Hania Yassin and Nick Karonis (NIU-MCS).
Proud grandparents: a granddaughter, Claire Elaine Longcore, born June 5 to Linda Maher (OCF-PRO) and Douglas Hudson (ECT); a granddaughter, born June 7 to Terry Scott (IPNS); a granddaughter, Beatrice Frances, born May 30 to Joan Christensen (PRO); a grandson, Alexander Richard Dzingel, born April 24 to Don and Jackie Griffith (IPD); a granddaughter, Rachel Nicole Behling, born May 13 to Alice and George Lange (PFS).
ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to Brian Weidner, son of Kathy and Gary Weidner (IPD), who graduated magna cum laude from Bradley University. Carla Fiscera (PFS-PMO) and John Oboikovitz (PFS-FEC) graduated from Lewis University with a B.A. in business administration. Natalie Vulyak (MCS) graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in marketing from Saint Xavier University.
ENGAGEMENTS/WEDDINGS
Congratulations to Aymeric Rousseau (ES) and Chris on their April wedding.
WELCOME
MSD welcomes Haifeng Ding and Yali Tang. PFS welcomes Janet Benson, Paul Townsend and Jason Ullrich.
FAREWELLS
Good luck to Roger Anderson (ES), Gonca Long (PFS-WM) and Steve Hellemann (PFS-WM), who have all left the laboratory.
WELCOME BACK
Welcome back to Shahida Razvi (PFS-WM), who has returned to work from medical leave.
TRANSFERS
Good luck to Heidi Homerding, who transferred from IPD to APS; Mark Bateman, who transferred from PFS-MD to PFS-US, and Ed Lenckus, who transferred from PFS-MD to PFS-US.
PROMOTIONS
Promotions reported to Ar'Gang this month include: Mary Jo Thompson (IPD), promoted to budget and finance administrator, and Cindy Smithberg (PFS), promoted to maintenance mechanic I.
CONDOLENCES
Condolences to Theresa Davis (CMT) on the death of her father-in-law; Frank Markun (CMT-ACL) on the death of his mother-in-law; Geoffrey Amann (ES) on the death of his mother; Victoria Jennings (PFS-CU) on the death of her brother; Kathy Ferry (PFS-CU) on the death of her father-in-law; Jorge More (MCS) on the death of his father, and Gregg Kulma (EQO-EPS) on the death of his father.
CONTRIBUTORS
Thanks to this issue's contributors: Judy Beumer (MCS), Diana Grygiel (EQO), Sheila Jungman (MSD), Karen Kroczek (PFS), Cathy Nelson (IPD), JoAnn Parnell (ES), Sally Peters (OCF-PRO), Carolyn Peters (IPNS) and Faith Ruppert (CMT).