The neutron: A tool and an object in nuclear and particle physics

The reactor-based laboratory at the Institut Laue-Langevin is recognized as the world's most productive and reliable source of slow neutrons for the study of low energy particle and nuclear physics. The book highlightsthe impact of about 600 very diverse publications about work performedin these fields during the pastmore than 30 years of reactor operation at this institute.On one hand neutronsare used as a tool to generate nuclei in excited states for studying their structure and decay, in particular fission. Uniquely sensitive experiments can tell us a great deal about the symmetry characteristics of nucleiand their fission properties. On the other hand, studies with slowneutrons as the object of investigation are complementary to studies at huge particle accelerators. Experiments carried out at the ILL contribute to elucidate basic questions about the building blocks of the Universe by analyzing very precisely subtle neutron properties.

Low Energy Neutron Beams: Production of Slow Neutrons. Neutron Guides. Particle Properties of the Neutron: A Summary: Mass of the Neutron. Studies of Neutron Properties with Cold Neutrons. Studies of Neutron Properties with Ultra Cold Neutrons. High Resolution Spectroscopy at the Institut Laue Langevin: The Neutron Capture Reaction. Gamma Ray Emission Following Neutron Capture. Primary Gamma Rays. Secondary Gamma Rays Following Thermal Neutron Capture. Internal Conversion Electrons. Construction of Level Schemes. The Flat Crystal Spectrometers GAMS4 and GAMS5. Nuclear Physics Studies. Fission Research at the Institut Laue-Langevin: Introduction. Instruments and Methods. Mass Distribution of Fragments from Thermal Neutron Induced Fission. Kinetic Energies of Fission Fragments. Mass Energy Correlations. Charge Distributions. Cold Fission. Ternary and Quarternary Fission. Fission Induced by Polarized Neutrons. Thermal Neutron Induced Fission Cross Sections.