Neutron and photon activation studies for trace element analyses and medical isotope production

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Studies of decay radiations subsequent to neutron irradiations is a well known technique of isotope analysis. Also, well known is the production of radioactive materials for medical imaging and therapy purposes. The Saskatchewan Research Council's SLOWPOKE-2 reactor is a well established facility. We intend to use this facility to determine the concentrations of rare earth materials (Nd, Sm, ..) by characteristic photons of products of neutron irradiaton. However, neutron energy spectrum of this facility, an important piece of information required to determine the products of irradiation is not known. Our preliminary measurements of Summer 2010 revealed that there is a significant component of fast neutrons as high as 9 MeV energies are present.