ABSTRACT
The design of an atomic charge implied that its fissile materials encompass neutron primer, a neutron source used to initiate a nuclear explosion. A special laboratory headed by A . Y a . Apin (later by V . A . Aleksandrovich) was organized at KB-11 to design and manufacture neutron primers. In 1948 it moved to a separate building. In 1949 the laboratory started to produce first primers. The evidence is a short instruction by Yu.B. Khariton that goes as follows [68]: "c/o V . A . Aleksandrovich. Manufacture three sets of neutron primers in J une-July."
