Neutron Radiography with ²⁵²Cf in Forensic Science

Nuclear methods have been developed and applied in most scientific fields in recent years, including the forensic sciences. One of the newest nuclear techniques is neutron radiography. Although the first radiograph with neutrons was made in 1935, only since the availability of large neutron sources has the experimental technique been developed into an acceptable nondestructive testing method. With the introduction of reactors, neutron radiography made rapid advances. Research with neutron sources such as Pu-Be, Sb-Be, and neutron generators has also aided its development. However, until ²⁵²Cf was made available all useful neutron sources were stationary and costly.