nbsp   What are neutron “beams” used for?
[A. CANDU Technology] [B. The Industry] [C. Cost/Benefit] [D. Safety/Liability] [E. Waste] [F. Security/Non-Proliferation] [G. Uranium] [H. Research Reactors] [I. Other R&D] [J. Further Info] One of the most common uses of a “research reactor” is to extract beams of neutrons from the fission process, and use them in both scientific and engineering applications in a laboratory adjacent to the reactor. As a research tool, the two main attractions of neutrons are their neutral charge, which allows them to penetrate dense objects, and their quantum wavelength, which is comparable to the lattice spacing in crystals. The combination allows the use neutron beams as a powerful “microscope”, with which we can peer into an object without damaging it, measure the spacing of atoms, locate defects, and characterize the motion of atoms in their bound state. Neutron-beam materials research in Canada dates from the beginnings of its nuclear industry. AECL Chalk River Laboratories’ NRX reactor, Canada’
