DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Material identification based upon energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons

Abstract

Various technologies pertaining to identifying a material in a sample and imaging the sample are described herein. The material is identified by computing energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons that is caused by presence of the sample in travel paths of the neutrons. A mono-energetic neutron generator emits the neutron, which is downscattered in energy by a first detector unit. The neutron exits the first detector unit and is detected by a second detector unit subsequent to passing through the sample. Energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons passing through the sample is computed based upon a computed energy of the neutron, wherein such energy can be computed based upon 1) known positions of the neutron generator, the first detector unit, and the second detector unit; or 2) computed time of flight of neutrons between the first detector unit and the second detector unit.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1222632
Patent Number(s):
9151852
Application Number:
14/296,332
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2014 Jun 04
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Marleau, Peter. Material identification based upon energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons. United States: N. p., 2015. Web.
Marleau, Peter. Material identification based upon energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons. United States.
Marleau, Peter. Tue . "Material identification based upon energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1222632.
@article{osti_1222632,
title = {Material identification based upon energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons},
author = {Marleau, Peter},
abstractNote = {Various technologies pertaining to identifying a material in a sample and imaging the sample are described herein. The material is identified by computing energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons that is caused by presence of the sample in travel paths of the neutrons. A mono-energetic neutron generator emits the neutron, which is downscattered in energy by a first detector unit. The neutron exits the first detector unit and is detected by a second detector unit subsequent to passing through the sample. Energy-dependent attenuation of neutrons passing through the sample is computed based upon a computed energy of the neutron, wherein such energy can be computed based upon 1) known positions of the neutron generator, the first detector unit, and the second detector unit; or 2) computed time of flight of neutrons between the first detector unit and the second detector unit.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Variable-ratio neutron-gamma ray source
patent, November 2009


Neutron-gamma ray tomography
patent, January 2010


Neutron-gamma ray tomography
patent-application, March 2009


Fast neutron resonance radiography for elemental imaging: theory and applications
journal, August 2002