Chapter 11: Nuclear Analytical Techniques Check Access

Nuclear analytical techniques (NATs) utilize nuclear properties of isotopes such as their half-life, energy, intensity of emitted radiation, and formation cross section (unique in most cases). Nuclear radiation like gamma rays which are highly penetrating in matter can be effectively utilized for diagnostic purposes by both industries and medical sciences. However, in some cases, ion beam analysis and charged particle activation analysis techniques provide information mainly about the surface of the material (due to the very low penetrating power of the ions). NATs may be broadly divided into two categories of direct methods and indirect methods. Direct methods involve measurement of radioactivity and measurement of stable nuclides and subsequent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) while indirect methods comprise activation methods consisting of measurements of particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and proton-induced prompt photon spectroscopy (PIPPS). Delayed phenomen no space please between n and a include (a) IBA, (b) activation analysis (NAA, CPAA, and photon activation analysis, PAA) and (c) neutron counting. Scattering analysis comprises Rutherford back scattering (RBS), beta particle scattering, back scattering of photons, and perturbed angular correlation. Fluorescence measurements involve radionuclide X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Mossbauer spectroscopy.