plutoniumberylliumlähteet
Plutoniumberylliumlähteet, often abbreviated as PuBe sources, are neutron sources that utilize the alpha decay of plutonium to induce a nuclear reaction with beryllium. This reaction produces neutrons through the (α, n) nuclear reaction. The most common isotope of plutonium used is Pu-239, which has a half-life of approximately 24,100 years. Beryllium, typically in the form of beryllium metal or beryllium oxide, serves as the target material.
When an alpha particle emitted from plutonium strikes a beryllium nucleus, it can cause the nucleus to
These sources are widely used in various applications due to their relatively high neutron yield, long shelf