The Raman fingerprint of plutonium dioxide: Some example applications for the detection of PuO2 in host matrices

Some example applications are presented, in which the peculiar Raman fingerprint of PuO 2 can be used for the detection of crystalline Pu 4+ with cubic symmetry in an oxide environment in various host materials, like mixed oxide fuels, inert matrices and corium sub-systems. The PuO 2 Raman fingerprint was previously observed to consist of one main T 2g vibrational mode at 478 cm −1 and two crystal electric field transition lines at 2130 cm −1 and 2610 cm −1 . This particular use of Raman spectroscopy is promising for applications in nuclear waste management, safety and safeguard.