Identification of materials hidden inside a container by using the 14 MeV tagged neutron beam

The results of the experiments aiming to confirm the presence of explosive inside the container by using the 14 MeV tagged neutron beam are presented. Measurements were performed with paper, sugar, flour, fertilizer, tobacco and explosive (Semtexla) as target material placed in the center of an empty container. Additional measurements were done with paper and explosive placed in the center of the container filled with the iron matrix of 0.2 gcm(-3) density and with the paper target shielded by the 5.1 cm thick iron shield. The results of time of flight measurements and gamma ray spectra obtained by 14 MeV tagged neutron beam have showed that investigated materials could be well distinguished in the triangle plot with coordinates being the number of counts in the carbon peak, the number of counts in oxygen peak and the number of counts in transmitted neutron peak. By using such presentation we have been able to separate paper from Semtexla, both hidden inside the 0.2 gcm-3 iron matrix. We have also been able to confirm the presence of 64.4 kg of paper behind the 5.1 cm thick iron shield corresponding to the range of 300 keV X-rays. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.