Neutron Source - Large Devices

Large Devices

Modern neutron research facilities operate either fission reactor or a spallation source.

Nuclear fission reactors

Nuclear fission which takes place within a nuclear reactor produces very large quantities of neutrons. In nuclear power reactors, the neutrons are no more than an unavoidable byproduct. In contrast, research reactors are primarily operated to produce neutron beams. The Institut Laue-Langevin source in Grenoble in France is the major fission source in Europe, the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL is the equivalent in the US. Reactor neutron sources tend to require highly-enriched uranium fuel, making their construction somewhat controversial.

Spallation at particle accelerators

A spallation source is a high-flux source in which protons that have been accelerated to high energies hit a target material, prompting the emission of neutrons. Examples are the Swiss neutron source SINQ, the British ISIS neutron source, and the U.S. Spallation Neutron Source; the China spallation neutron source is under construction in Dongguan

Nuclear fusion systems

Nuclear fusion, the combining of the heavy isotopes of hydrogen, also has the potential to produce large quantities of neutrons. Small scale fusion systems exist for research purposes at many universities and laboratories around the world. A small number of large scale nuclear fusion systems also exist including the National Ignition Facility in the USA, JET in the UK, and soon the recently started ITER experiment in France.