Automation and remote control of fast neutron computed tomography system

Abstract

Automation and remote control are added to a fast neutron tomography system at the Ohio State University Research Reactor (OSURR). The automated system with XYZ stages allows for an improved imaging efficiency and quality of computed tomography, while reducing total image acquisition time and keeping the user further from the neutron beam facility. The automation code was written in Python scripting utilizing the Tkinter GUI structure and modules for instrumentation control. A Python wrapper for Micro-Manager, pycromanager, is used to control the Electron Multiply (EM) CCD and CMOS cameras. The system has a three directional XYZ stage for precise alignment and a rotational stage to obtain the radiograph views for computed tomography. Both of these stages hold the imaging object and are external to the light tight box. Finally, another one direction stage is employed within the light tight box to move the camera for real-time focusing. Each stage is controlled through user defined functions that pull from the serial control offered by pyserial. Within the light tight box is the camera, a telecentric lens, a mirror, and a Polyvinyl Toluene (PVT) scintillator. The GUI allows for the users to input all of the experiment parameters such as exposure time, EM Gain (for EMCCD), file save information, and rotational requirements. Upon submission, the rotational degree information is passed into an algorithm to generate a list for a few view tomography. As the imaging system takes and saves the images, the users are shown the progress in real time through messages and pictures in the GUI.