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By
Mahmopud samahin
NEUTRON SOURCES
Neutron emission
Much more limited possible choices
Nuclear reactor Spontaneous fission A. Spontaneous fission Transuranic heavy nuclide Thick container Fast neutron ; gamma ray. Most spontaneous fission by Californium-252 Alpha emission rate is about 32 times spontaneous fission. Neutron yield=0.116n/s per Bq ( 2.23 Mn/s per microgram ;unit
(compined )
mass basis)
sources involve very small active material Made in very small size
3.8 average neotron + 9.7 average gamma photons/fission >85% prompt gamma ray in first nanosecond
1.3 MeV
B. Radioisotope(,n) source:
*Alpha decay (from convenient nuclides) Self-contained neutron source
1/10000 react with beryllium -9
Be
*Inimate mixture of alpha particle emitter and berylium *Homogeneously *Small relative concetration
Alpha emitter
226
Ra
and
227
Ac
Ra-Be Ac-Be
More elaborate handling procedures because biological hazard of alpha radiation. Simpler alpha decays Gammabackground is much lower
Physical size of sources : no longer negligible ( but hlaf life short as possible ) Specific activity of emitter is high
226
Ra /Be
To increase the neutron yield without increasing the physical size ,alpha emitter with higher specific activites must be subistituted
241
Am+Pn
238
244
Cm
Represent near ideal compromise between activity and source life-time Not always widely available Carbon-12 excaited sates Washes out of continuous energy distribution Peaks and valleys
Small source spectrum same (,n) reaction Larger sources secondery prosses (scattering,(n,2n) reactions in (Be) ,(n, fission) plutonium ,actinide (introduce some dependence on source size)
Safely materials
241
Pu
241
Am +
Growth rate 2% /y
Q-value
c. Photoneutron sources
Absorpation of gamma Only two target nuclie
(practical significent)
Neutron energy
Monoenergetic gamma
Monoenergetic neutrons