Title: Boron-Based Neutron Scintillator Screens for Neutron Imaging

Abstract

In digital neutron imaging, the neutron scintillator screen is a limiting factor of spatial resolution and neutron capture efficiency and must be improved to enhance the capabilities of digital neutron imaging systems. Commonly used neutron scintillators are based on ⁶LiF and gadolinium oxysulfide neutron converters. This work explores boron-based neutron scintillators because ¹⁰B has a neutron absorption cross-section four times greater than 6Li, less energetic daughter products than Gd and ⁶Li, and lower γ-ray sensitivity than Gd. These factors all suggest that, although borated neutron scintillators may not produce as much light as ⁶Li-based screens, they may offer improved neutron statistics and spatial resolution. This work conducts a parametric study to determine the effects of various boron neutron converters, scintillator and converter particle sizes, converter-to-scintillator mix ratio, substrate materials, and sensor construction on image quality. The best performing boron-based scintillator screens demonstrated an improvement in neutron detection efficiency when compared with a common ⁶LiF/ZnS scintillator, with a 125% increase in thermal neutron detection efficiency and 67% increase in epithermal neutron detection efficiency. The spatial resolution of high-resolution borated scintillators was measured, and the neutron tomography of a test object was successfully performed using some of the boron-based screens that exhibitedmore » the highest spatial resolution. For some applications, boron-based scintillators can be utilized to increase the performance of a digital neutron imaging system by reducing acquisition times and improving neutron statistics.« less

Authors:

Chuirazzi, William C. ^[1]; Craft, Aaron E.  ^[1];

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Schillinger, Burkhard ^[2]; Cool, Steven ^[3]; Tengattini, Alessandro ^[4]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
2. Technische Univ. München, Garching (Germany)
3. DMI/Reading Imaging, Reading, MA (United States)
4. Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble (France); Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble (France)

Publication Date:

2020-11-19

Research Org.:

Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:

1721670

Report Number(s):

INL/JOU-20-58248-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 2313-433X; TRN: US2204840

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC07-05ID14517

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Journal of Imaging

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 6; Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 2313-433X

Publisher:

MDPI

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; neutron imaging; neutron radiography; digital imaging; neutron scintillator; scintillator screen; boron scintillator; scintillator characterization; scintillator detection efficiency; epithermal neutron imaging; neutron sensor