Abstract
Energy-resolved fast-neutron radiography is a powerful non-destructive technique that can be used to remotely measure the quantity and distribution of elements and isotopes in a sample. This is done by comparing the energy-dependent neutron transmission of a sample with the known cross-sections of individual isotopes. The reconstruction of the composition is possible due to the unique features (e.g. resonances) in the cross-sections of individual isotopes. At short-pulsed (1 ns) neutron sources, such information is accessible via time-of-flight neutron imaging in principle, but requires a detector with nanosecond temporal resolution. Conventional neutron detectors can meet this requirement only by heavily compromising spatial resolution or efficiency. Here, we present a unique approach on fast neutron resonance radiography using a scintillator-based event-mode imaging detector at a short-pulsed neutron source, including first results on spatially mapped resonance profiles using MeV neutrons. The event mode approach applied in the presented detector allows recording of individual neutron interactions with nanosecond precision in time and sub-mm resolution in space. As a result, the entire available neutron energy spectrum can be measured for each pulse. At the same time, the use of a thick scintillator screen and lenses to focus the produced light results in a highly flexible field of view and a high interaction probability in the sensitive volume of the detector.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 30487 |
| Journal | Scientific Reports |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2024 |
Funding
We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the BMBF in the framework of the research projects 05K19WO2 and 05K22WO5. This work was performed, in part, at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), a NNSA User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by Los Alamos National Laboratory (Contract 89233218CNA000001). SCV, AML, ASL acknowledge funding from LANL\u2019s Laboratory Directed Research & Development program under project 20230592ER, \u201CStrengthening Los Alamos National Laboratory\u2019s Radiography Applications via Event-Mode Imaging and Machine Learning Techniques\u201D. Development of the Nanoguides was funded by DOE/NA-22 project SL20-ML-NanoguidePolymer-PD2Jh. A portion of this research used resources at the Second Target Station Project at ORNL. Work was supported in part through the INL Laboratory Directed Research& Development (LDRD) Program, project 24A1081-222FP, under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| National Nuclear Security Administration | |
| U.S. Department of Energy | |
| Strengthening Los Alamos National Laboratory | |
| Los Alamos Neutron Science Center | |
| Laboratory Directed Research and Development | 24A1081-222FP, DE-AC07-05ID14517, 20230592ER |
| Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung | 05K22WO5, 05K19WO2 |
| Los Alamos National Laboratory | 89233218CNA000001 |