Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights (Sydney)

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HIFAR (High Flux Australian Reactor) is Australia’s national research reactor. It is central to the research that goes on at ANSTO. HIFAR has been operated safely and reliably for over 40 years.

HIFAR is used for a number of very important purposes:

* leading edge subatomic research, such as neutron diffraction for the study of matter
* neutron activation analysis for forensic purposes and the mining industry
* production of radioactive medicines for cancer diagnosis and therapy
* silicon irradiation doping for semiconductor use
* production of radioisotopes for industrial uses.

The purpose of HIFAR is to produce neutrons, those subatomic particles found in the nucleus of all atoms. HIFAR produces neutrons through the process of fission – the splitting of a large atom, such as uranium, into two smaller ones. Fission occurs when a heavy nucleus absorbs a neutron and splits. Neutrons are given off in the process of fission and, after slowing down (losing energy), are used to keep the fission chain reaction going.

When operating at rated power, HIFAR produces billions upon billions of neutrons. Materials in the reactor absorbs many of these tiny particles. Outside the nucleus of an atom a neutron cannot exist alone; it is unstable and will decay within minutes. So the reactor must continually produce more neutrons to serve its purposes.