Variation of crystallinity and secondary ion quantity of uranium particles with heating temperature of Sample preparation

Tomita, Ryohei ; Tomita, Jumpei  ; Yomogida, Takumi   ; Suzuki, Daisuke   ; Yasuda, Kenichiro   ; Esaka, Fumitaka  ; Miyamoto, Yutaka   

Automated Particle Measurement (APM) is the first measurement of environmental sample for safeguard purpose. APM tells us the number of particles in sample, their enrichment and their location. Precision and accuracy of APM is easily affected by particle condition. We have investigated how influential baking temperature in sample preparation are for uranium secondary ion quantity, uranium hydride generation and particle crystallinity. Our experimental results showed that baking temperature of 800C reduced uranium secondary ion quantity to 33% compared with baking at 350C. Uranium hydride generation ratio of the sample baked at 850C was also 4 times higher than the sample baked at 350C. Baking at 850C raised only crystallinity of uranium particles. Baking sample at too high temperature caused less uranium secondary ion generation and much more uranium hydride generation. It made precision and accuracy of APM worse. In our experiment, baking at 350C is suitable for uranium particles in the safeguards sample.