Neutron sources

By
Mahmopud samahin

NEUTRON SOURCES
Neutron emission
Excited energy > B.E(n)

Nuclear reactor Spontaneous fission A. Spontaneous fission Transuranic heavy nuclide Thick container Fast neutron ; gamma ray. Most spontaneous fission by Californium-252 (2.65 y) Alpha emission rate is about 32 times spontaneous fission. Neutron yield=0.116n/s per Bq ( 2.23 Mn/s per microgram ;unit
mass basis)

Very small size 3.8 average neotron /fission 9.7 average gamma photons 1.3 MeV >85% prompt gamma ray in first nanosecond

B. Radioisotope(,n) source:
*Alpha decay (from convenient nuclides) Self-contained neutron source

Q-value=5.71Mev Max neutron yield Using thick target : Most alpha particles react with are stopped beryllium

Be

1/10000
*Inimate mixture of alpha particle emitter and berylium *Homogeneously *Small relative concetration

Alpha emitter
226

Actinide elements (89-103)

Ra

and

227

Ac

Stable alloy MBe

13

*long chain of daughter products *contribute alarge alpha-ray background

Ra-Be Ac-Be

More elaborate handling procedures because biological hazard of alpha radiation. Alphabackgroun d is much lower

Without any intermediate energy loss

The remaining radioisotopes

availabilaty Cost Half-life

Physical size of sources : no longer negligible ( but hlaf life short as possible ) Specific activity of emitter is high

226

Ra /Be

Most widley used

About 16 g of material1 Ci Few cms in dimension10^7n/s

To increase the neutron yield without increasing the physical size ,alpha emitter with higher specific activites must be subistituted Sources incorporating
241

Am+Pn

238

Widley used High neutron yield

244

Cm

Represent near ideal compromise between activity and source life-time Not always widely available

Small variations depend on alpha energies

Small source spectrum same (,n) reaction Larger sources secondery prosses (scattering,(n,2n) reactions in (Be) ,(n,fission) plotounium ,actinidde (introduce some dependence on source size)

Because large activity of actinide

Origonal radioisotopes Alpha Decay of precursor (other plotunium)

Safely materials

Tow stanless cylenders ( expantion space helium gas)

241

Pu

241

Am +

Neutron yield increase with time

Growth rate 2% /y

Alpha- decay Significant (half-life=13.2 y) Small lower n-yield

Q-value

Li(,n) usefull Q=-2.79

c. Photoneutron sources
Absorpation of gamma Only two target nuclie
(practical significent)

Free neutron emissiom

Neutron energy

D. Reaction from accelerated charged particles