System and method for fissionable material detection with a short pulse neutron source

A system for detecting fissionable materials, comprising:

• a neutron source pulse generator configured to generate single neutron events by creating multiple short source pulses of neutrons, or a single source pulse of neutrons, of a predetermined intensity, in a vicinity of an object of interest having fissionable material, to thus create the single neutron events as the multiple short source pulses of neutrons, or the single source pulse, interact with the fissionable material, the single neutron events representing fission neutrons;
• the source pulse or source pulses of neutrons including neutrons which each have a full width half maximum time duration of less than about 100 ns and a peak energy level no greater than about 20 MeV;
• a fast response detector configured with a predetermined fast neutron time detection window to detect the single neutron events occurring from creation of the multiple source pulses or the single source pulse of neutrons, the fission neutrons having been produced by the source pulse or source pulses of neutrons interacting with fissionable material associated with the object of interest, within the predetermined fast neutron time detection window, immediately prior to arrival of the source pulse neutrons;
• and
• wherein the full width half maximum time duration of the neutron source pulse generator is further configured in relation to a distance separating the fast response detector from the target, to optimize a flux of the fission neutrons detected by the fast response detector.