Radiation Sources, Detection & Measurement

A major goal of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department is to advance the core disciplines needed to achieve new, beneficial applications of radiation science and technology. These disciplines encompass the production and control of radiation and the study and application of radiation interactions with matter.

We study novel radiation sources which will find applications in medical imaging, radiation-based therapy, contraband detection and investigation of the chemical and physical properties of nano- and mesoscopic systems.We also use new radiation sources, such as the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which are making it possible to push forward the distance and time scales over which chemistry and physics can be explored.

We are also interested in the precise control and characterization of non-ionizing radiations. A full quantum-mechanical description of these radiation fields will allow their application to the coherent control of quantum systems. Achieving such exquisite control will enable practical implementations of quantum information processing (QIP) concepts.