• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2012

Carbon coils could be synthesized on nickel catalyst layer-deposited silicon oxide substrate using $C_2H_2$ and $H_2$ as source gases and SF6 as an additive gas under thermal chemical vapor deposition system. The geometries of as-grown carbon materials were investigated with increasing the reaction temperature as the increment of $25^{\circ}C$ from $650^{\circ}C$ up to $800^{\circ}C$. At $650^{\circ}C$, the embryos for carbon coils were formed. With increasing the reaction temperature to $700^{\circ}C$, the coil-type geometries were developed. Further increasing the reaction temperature to $775^{\circ}C$, the development of wave-like nano-sized coils, instead of nano-sized coils, and occasional appearance of micro-sized carbon coils could be observed. Fluorine in $SF_6$ additive may shrink the micro-sized coil diameter via the reduction of Ni catalyst size by fluorine's etching role. Finally, the preparation of the micro-sized carbon coils having the smaller coil diameters, compared with the previously reported ones, could be possible using $SF_6$ additive.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2014

North Korea's uranium enrichment facility is a matter of international concern. It is of particular alarming to South Korea with regard to the security and safety of the country. This situation requires continuous monitoring of the DPRK and emergency preparedness on the part of the ROK. To assess the detectability of an undeclared uranium enrichment plant in North Korea, uranium concentrations in the air at both a short and a long distance from the enrichment facility were estimated. $UF_6$ source terms were determined by using existing information on North Korean facility and data from the operation experience of enrichment plants from other countries. Using the calculated source terms, two atmospheric dispersion models (Gaussian Plume Model and HYSPLIT models) and meteorological data were used to estimate the uranium particle concentrations from the Yongbyon enrichment facility. A maximum uranium concentration and its location are dependent upon the meteorological conditions and the height of the UF6 release point. This study showed that the maximum uranium concentration around the enrichment facility was about $1.0{\times}10^{-7}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$. The location of the maximum concentration was within about 0.4 km of the facility. It has been assumed that the uranium sample of about a few micrograms (${\mu}g$) could be obtained; and that few micrograms of uranium can be easily measured with current measurement instruments. On the contrary, a uranium concentration at a distance of more than 100 kilometers from the enrichment facility was estimated to be about $1.0{\times}10^{-13}{\sim}1.0{\times}10^{-15}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$, which is less than back-ground level. Therefore, based on the results of our paper, an air sample taken within the vicinity of the Yongbyon enrichment facility could be used to determine as to whether or not North Korea is carrying out an undeclared nuclear program. However, the air samples taken at a longer distance of a few hundred kilometers would prove difficult in detecting a clandestine nuclear activities.