Neutrons

A neutron is one of the fundamental particles that make up matter. It was

discovered in 1932 by Chadwick

Neutrons characteristics:

1. Neutral. With Mass = 1.675 x 10-27 kg.

2. Generated over a wide range of energies.
3. Similar to photons, uncharged and do not interact with electrons.
4. Unstable; disintegrate to proton, electron and antineutrino.
5. Only Interact with atomic nuclei and the type of interaction depends on
the neutron energy.
6. Half-life is 14 minutes.
7. With velocity is 2200m/s.
8. With Spin = ½.
9. Has both particle-like and wave-Like Properties.

Neutrons Classification:
Neutrons are classified into three gropes according to their energy because the
type of the reaction that a neutron undergoes depends on its energy.
1. Thermal neutrons:
Includes the neutrons of energy below (0.5eV) .
2. Intermediate energy neutrons:
Include the neutrons of energy more than (0.5 eV) and below 10Kev. They are
effect on human body appear through gamma radiation Liberated from
interactions.
3. Fast neutrons:
Includes the neutrons of energy above (10KeV) .
 Source of neutrons
1. Neutron sources using (a, n) reactions ; one can manufacture this neutrons
sources by mixing an alpha emitting radionuclide such as( 210Po, Ra or
226 239
Pu)
with a light metal such as Be or B ,the reactions that follow are:
9
Be (a, n) 12C (9Be +4He→1n+12C) , 10B (a, n)13N , 11B(a, n)14N
2. Neutron sources using (g, n) reactions; where gamma rays are absorbed by
light radioisotopes nuclei then monoenergetic neutrons ( called Photoneutron)
are produced as follows:
9
Be (g,n)8Be (9Be +g→8Be +1n) , 2
H (g,n)1H (2H +g→1H +1n)
3. Spontaneous Fission Sources:
a. 252Cf source it’s the only source that emit spontaneous neutrons, and it's
have a long half-life 2.65y and have a neutron emission rate about 2.31
´106 n/s/ mg. 252
Cf → 251Cf +1n
b. Some heavy nuclei fission spontaneously emitting neutrons.
c. Some sources include: 254Cf, 252Cf, 244Cm, 242Cm, 238Pu and 232U.
4. Neutrons accelerator; used to generate neutrons by bombarding light nuclei
with accelerated charged particles through nuclear reactions:
3
H (d,n)4He (2H +3H →4He +1n+17.6 MeV),
2
H (d,n)3He (2H+ 2H→3He +1n+3.29 MeV) ,
7
Li(p,n)7Be ( P+ 7Li →7Be +1n-1.63 MeV)
5. Fission reactor; the most common sources of fast neutrons.
Cross Sections (σ):
 It the probability of interaction per atom.
• C.S. measured in barn, barn =10-24 cm2.
•Microscopic C.S. defines probability of reaction between neutrons and an
individual particle or nucleus, i.e. 235U.
• Macroscopic C.S. defines probability of Interaction between neutron and
material, i.e. concrete.
 Neutrons Interactions

The neutrons interact with matter in different process according to the neutron
energy and absorbing material. Since the neutron is neutral (charge=0) it has
the ability to penetrate electrons and interact with the nucleus directly.
All neutrons interactions include two steps:
1. Union the neutron with nucleus to consist a compound nucleus that will
always be in an excited state.
2. Disintegration of the compound nucleus to get rid of excess energy.
Neutron interactions classified into two parts, each of which is divided into
multiple branches.

1. Scattering:
All neutrons at the time of their birth are fast. Fast neutrons lose energy by
colliding elastically with atoms, and after being slowed down to thermal
energies, they are captured by nuclei of the absorbing material.
A. Elastic scatter (n,n) :
 Occurs between neutron and light material.
 Total kinetic energy is conserved (Energy lost by neutron transferred to
recoiling particle).
 It is the most important process for slowing down of neutrons.

B. Inelastic scatter (n,n’):

 Occurs between neutron and heavy material.
 Total kinetic energy is not conserved.
 The neutron is captured (absorbed) by the nucleus and then re-emitted
with lower energy and another direction.
 The nucleus is left in an excited state, thus its de-excite by emitting
gamma. n + 56Fe → n’ + 56Fe *
↓
56
Fe + γ

 In tissues, it is occur in carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.

C. Nonelastic scatter (n, α):
 Differs from inelastic scattering in that a secondary particle is not neutron
after the capture of the initial neutron.
e.g. 12C (n, α)9Be Eγ = 1.75 MeV
 Energy is transferred to the tissue by the alpha particle and the de-
excitation gamma ray.

2. Absorption (capture):
The neutron is absorbed and captured within the nucleus which it becomes
unarranged then it's either emitted energy (γ, α, n, p) or Splits to rearranging its
self.
A. Neutron capture (n, γ) (n,p) :
 Occurs only at very low thermal neutron energies (E < 0.025 eV).
 The neutron bombards a nucleus lead to emit proton or γ .
 The bombarding neutron is disappearing.
 14N (n,p)14C & 1H(n, γ)2H are important interactions in tissue.
 Shielding against thermal neutrons.
 The dose in tissue comes from hydrogen capture 1H (n, γ)2H.

B. Fission (n, f):

• It's produced by the bombardment of certain very high atomic number
nuclei by thermal neutrons. The residual particles are nuclei of lower
atomic number and more than one fast neutron.
• Materials undergo the fission reaction are called fissionable materials such
as:
 235U
 239Pu produced by 238U.
 233U produced by 232Th.
C. Spallation:
Spallation occurs when a fast neutron penetrates the nucleus and adds sufficient
energy to the nucleus so that it disintegrates into many small residual
α and protons. An example of spallation is as follows:
16
0 + n → 3α + 2p + 3n .
 One fast neutron is produced by the reaction.
• The dose to tissue comes from the several neutrons and de-excitation
gamma rays which are emitted.