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Neutron activation
Neutron activation
is the process in which
neutron radiation
induces
radioactivity
in materials, and occurs when
atomic nuclei
capture
free neutrons
, becoming heavier and entering
excited states
. The excited nucleus often decays immediately by emitting
gamma rays
, or particles such as
beta particles
,
alpha particles
,
fission products
and neutrons (in
nuclear fission
). Thus, the process of
neutron capture
, even after any intermediate decay, often results in the formation of an unstable
activation product
. Such radioactive nuclei can exhibit
half-lives
ranging from small fractions of a second to many years.
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