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Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor
Published on: May 7, 2021
New generation non-stationary portable neutron generators for biophysical applications of Neutron Activation Analysis
N Marchese1, A Cannuli2, M T Caccamo2
1DIMES Dipartimento di Ingegneria Informatica, Modellistica, Elettronica e Sistemistica, Università della Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
Background:
Neutron sources are increasingly employed in a wide range of research fields. For some specific purposes an alternative to existing large-scale neutron scattering facilities, can be offered by the new generation of portable neutron devices.
Scope Of Review:
This review reports an overview for such recently available neutron generators mainly addressed to biophysics applications with specific reference to portable non-stationary neutron generators applied in Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA).
Major Conclusions:
The review reports a description of a typical portable neutron generator set-up addressed to biophysics applications.
General Significance:
New generation portable neutron devices, for some specific applications, can constitute an alternative to existing large-scale neutron scattering facilities. Deuterium-Deuterium pulsed neutron sources able to generate 2.5MeV neutrons, with a neutron yield of 1.0×106n/s, a pulse rate of 250Hz to 20kHz and a duty factor varying from 5% to 100%, when combined with solid-state photon detectors, show that this kind of compact devices allow rapid and user-friendly elemental analysis. "This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Science for Life" Guest Editor: Dr. Austen Angell, Dr. Salvatore Magazù and Dr. Federica Migliardo".
