Suitability of79Kr as a Reactor-Based Source of Slow Positrons

Abstract

This paper reports that it is argued that {sup 79}Kr is uniquely suited for an intense positron source. It can be produced by neutron activation of a rare, but available, stable isotope {sup 78}Kr; it has a convenient 35-h half-life; as a nonreactive gas, it can be transported and recycled in a closed system using automated valves without exposure of personnel; and it can be vapor deposited easily on a large area cod surface using a solid neon moderator to make a slow positron source with intensity ({approx}10{sup 11} s{sup {minus}1}) limited only by the availability of neutrons and cryogenic refrigeration.