Neutron activation
= Neutron activation
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<Neutron activation> is the production of <radioactivity> by irradiating a material with <neutrons>. One route is <neutron capture> producing an unstable <isotope>; other <nuclear reactions> can also produce unstable <atomic nuclei>. A specimen's later <radioactive decay> provides a way to detect that a transformation occurred during irradiation. It does not by itself identify the product or reconstruct the incoming <neutron> <energy> distribution.
This makes <neutron activation> a useful bridge between an invisible radiation field and a delayed measurement. The <neutron flux> and <collision cross-section> determine production; <radioactive decay> and <detection efficiency> determine what remains observable later. <Neutron activation buildup and decay> keeps these stages separate.