Application of ICP-MS radionuclide analysis to “Real World” samples of department of Energy radioactive waste

Germanium spectrometers must be operated at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Other detectors operate better when cooled. Many applications, because of hostile environments, inaccessibility, remote location, long duration, etc., are compromised, or totally precluded, by the requirement for liquid nitrogen. A Stirling cycle refrigerator based on a linear motor design, which is acoustically and vibrationally quiet, does not require secondary cooling, and operates unattended for years, is under development. System design and specifications are presented. Applications to cooled laser monitoring equipment. SQUID-based detection systems, environmental cleanup and monitoring, medical diagnostics, non-destructive testing systems, communication equipment, computer electronics, and imaging systems are discussed.