Quantum Science and AI Meet Nuclear Forensics
Detecting and analyzing nuclear materials is a critical challenge in global security, yet current methods often struggle with accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. One of the biggest gaps in nuclear forensics is the lack of advanced materials capable of reliably sensing radiation and providing clear, identifiable signals.
Dr. Ed Cazalas, a Professor in the Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP), is developing cutting-edge technologies that will more accurately detect and analyze nuclear materials.
Leveraging Advanced Materials
Supported by a $400,000 grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Consortium for Nuclear Forensics, Cazalas’s project will leverage the unique properties of 2-D materials and quantum dots to enhance radiation detection. While fields like electronics and medicine have harnessed the power of 2-D and quantum materials, their potential in nuclear detection remains largely untapped. Cazalas and his team at the University of Utah are working to change that—exploring how these cutting-edge materials, combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning, could revolutionize the way we track, identify, and safeguard nuclear materials.
2-D materials are ultra-thin substances, often just a few atoms thick, with unique electrical and mechanical properties that make them highly sensitive to external stimuli like radiation. Quantum materials, including quantum dots, exhibit special properties which allow them to interact with radiation in ways that could revolutionize nuclear detection.
Dr. Ed Cazalas in his Lab
Radiation Effects
Dr. Cazalas will investigate how 2-D materials and quantum dots respond to nuclear radiation by exposing them to controlled irradiation and analyzing the resulting signals. These materials, known for their high sensitivity and unique electronic properties, may exhibit distinct radiation-induced changes that can be measured and classified. By applying artificial intelligence and machine learning, his team will identify and quantify these signals, enabling more precise detection of nuclear materials.
This research has far-reaching implications for nuclear security, scientific advancements, and workforce development. By revolutionizing how nuclear materials are tracked and classified, it will significantly enhance national and global security. The ability to more accurately detect and trace nuclear materials will strengthen efforts to prevent illicit trafficking and unauthorized use, ultimately bolstering security measures worldwide. Additionally, Cazalas’s work produced with the support of this grant will have interdisciplinary implications, enabling research into the possible effects of radiation on quantum computing transistors
Pushing Boundaries at the University of Utah
Dr. Cazalas leads the Cazalas Group of Radiation Detection, Effects, and Dosimetry (CAZ-RAD) at the University of Utah, where his team conducts cutting-edge research on nuclear and radiation interactions. The group benefits from the university’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the UU Nanofab Labs and the TRIGA Reactor (UUTR). Looking ahead, Dr. Cazalas and his team plan to develop a neutron source irradiation facility, further expanding their research capabilities.
This project will also play a crucial role in workforce development, creating pathways for students at all academic levels—undergraduate through Ph.D.—to gain expertise in nuclear security, quantum science, and engineering.
Nuclear Engineering at the University of Utah
The Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) is responsible for educating the next generation workforce in critical nuclear engineering fields and developing innovative procedures and technologies for the advancement of nuclear applications.
Our curriculum is designed for engineers and scientists involved in the nuclear power and radioactive waste industries, nuclear medicine, homeland security, radiation safety, and nuclear materials detection. We offer an undergraduate minor and two graduate degrees (M.S. non-thesis and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering).
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