ACTIVITY INCREASE AS A FUNCTION OF THE TIME OF NEUTRON IRRADIATION, 116mIn HALF LIFE DETERMINATION

1 INTRODUCTION
One of the most important procedures for radionuclides preparation is an activation of stable nuclei by neutrons. Using reaction (n,), almost all stable nuclides can be activated and reactions have got a relatively high cross sections. The activity A (Bq) of a nuclide generated by neutron irradiation is expressed by the equation 1 in which t1 (s) denotes the time of irradiation, (m2) is the cross section of respective (n, ) reaction, N stands for the number of target nuclei, (s1) denotes the disintegration constant of arising nuclide and (m2.s1) is the neutron flux applied. A = . . N . 1 e - . t1 1 Thus, activity A(t2) at any time t2 after the irradiation is given by the equation 2, which can be rewritten in its logarithmic form 3. A(t 2 ) = A . e - . t2 = . . N . 1 e - . t1 . e - . t2 2

ln A(t 2 ) = ln [ . . N . 1 e - . t1 ] . t 2 = const. . t 2 3 1444 4 24444 3 const. Using this equation the slope of experimental dependence ln A(t2) = f(t2) can be determined and the half-life T of the respective nuclide calculated as T = ln2 . The numbers of counts N(t2) measured over the same periods of time and corrected for counts of background can be used instead of activities A(t2) in equation 3. This is possible as all experimental values N(t2) will be measured under identical conditions (sample detector geometry, high voltage on detector, etc.). Providing that, all N(t2) values are directly proportional to corresponding activities A(t2) with the same constant of proportionality.

2 TASKS
1. Measure and plot the dependence of the count rate detected on indium foils irradiated by thermal neutrons on the time of irradiation. 2. Successively measure the count rate of the foil that has been irradiated for one hour and determined the half-life of nuclide 116m1In generated during the irradiation by the reaction 115 In (n, ) 116m1In.

3 PROCEDURES
Task 1 Using a -scintillate detector, measure the number of counts detected on indium foils over a period of 100 s, which have been irradiated by thermal neutrons according to the following schedule: Number of foil: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Irradiation time: 0,25 h 0,50 h 0,75 h 1,00 h 2h 3,00 h

The counting of every sample should start at the same time after the irradiation, count every sample ones per 100 s! Count the background counts over 100 s at least five times during the experiment. Keep sample 4 for Task 2 Task 2 Repeat the counting of sample 4 every 10 minutes over 100 s. The number of counts N(t2) ascribe to the time t2 measured from irradiation to the beginning of respective counting. Set t2 = 0 for the first measurement of sample 4 that has been performed in the Task 1.

4 DATA TREATMENT
Task 1 Plot the dependence of measured number of counts of individual samples vs. irradiation time t1. Discuss the character of the plot. Task 2 Correct the numbers of the counts measured on sample 4 for the mean number of background counts to obtain net N(t2) values. Plot the dependence of ln N(t2) value on the time t2 and determine half-life value of 116m1In.