A new technique for tritium imaging and profiling using a computer aided--video enhanced microscope system for metallographic analysis

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5764743

Downs, G L

Recent advances in image enhancement and image processing have made ultra-low-light microscopy a reality. Currently available instrumentation allows imaging of ''individual'' photons with a tremendous dynamic range of one to 10/sup 9/ photons/mm/sup 2//sec. This capability allows for the development of tritium imaging techniques based on different basic principles than previously employed. Previous autoradiographic techniques for this purpose used photographic emulsions which are chemically reactive with many metals and for good resolution required in-situ processing in chemical solutions which can also chemically affect the samples or emulsion characteristics. The new technique makes use of optically transparent thin films of relatively chemically inert scintillating compounds applied to metallographically prepared samples. The light given off by these scintillating compounds can now be imaged and quantified using the new Video Intensified Microscope (VIM) System. This allows the location of the tritium to be imaged as well as the corresponding microstructure. In addition, special containers have been designed and built to allow highly radioactive or pyrophoric samples with high levels of off-gassing to be evaluated. 5 refs., 10 figs.

• Research Organization: EG and G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-88DP43495
• OSTI ID: 5764743
• Report Number(s): MLM-3601-OP; CONF-8907116-2; ON: DE89015381
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102* -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
440101 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DETECTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FABRICATION
FILMS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IMAGE PROCESSING
ISOTOPES
JOINING
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASSLESS PARTICLES
METALLOGRAPHY
MICROSCOPES
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PHOTONS
PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPES
THIN FILMS
TRITIUM
WELDING
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES