What is a neutron beam?

neutron beam is a stream of neutrons, which are subatomical particles that do not have an electric charge and are found, along with positive protons, in the nuclei of all chemical elements, except for the most common forms of hydrogen that only has proton. Although neutrons are stable in the core, free neutron disintegrates into proton, electron and other particles called electron antineutrino; Isolated neutrons have a half -life for a little longer than 10 minutes, which means that after this period half of the neutrons in a given sample will disintegrate. Free neutrons are produced by nuclear fission, for example in a nuclear reactor and can be generated in particle accelerators. The neutron beam has many important applications in the science of materials, medicine and security.

neutron beams are usually produced using neutron generators, which are particle accelerators that shoot deuterium or tritio ions to the targets containing deuterium, tritium or both. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of hydrogen containing one andTwo neutrons. The merger deuteria and tritia produce neutrons that can be focused on a neutron beam. Neutron generators of this type can be relatively small and portable.

Although most forms of radiation interact with the clouds of electrons that surround atomic nuclei, neutrons, are electrically neutral and not in the form of electromagnetic radiation, interacting only with cores that are very small in relation to the whole atom. The neutron beam therefore penetrates very much and can show the positions of atomic cores in the material sample. Unlike X -rays, neutron beams can easily penetrate heavy metals like lead, but also interact with light elements such as hydrogen and carbon. According to quantum theory, all subatomical particles can act like waves, so neutrons have wavelengths. This allows the neutron beam to be finen; The wavelength and energy of the beam can be adjusted to detectAly specific materials.

Special properties of neutron rays have triggered a wide range of applications, especially as an alternative imaging technique that can be used in situations where X -rays are not effective. They can be used to investigate internal structures of materials such as detection of cracks and cavities in metal components and to determine atomic and molecular structures of compounds. Their ability to detect lighter elements that are still going through heavier, allow the use of neutron beams for security checks. For example, they can detect hidden explosives or radioactive material. Neutron beams also have important medical applications, especially in the treatment of some forms of cancer; Neutron radiotherapy can destroy tumors that are resistant to conventional radiotherapy.