Development of a Small-Aperture Slit System for a High Collimator Ratio at the Thermal Neutron Radiography Facility in JRR-3

Abstract

A small-aperture slit system has been developed and installed to enhance the collimator ratio (“L/D”) of the thermal neutron radiography facility (TNRF) in JRR-3. The degree of unsharpness on neutron images is reduced by increasing the L/D. The small-aperture slit system increased the L/D by creating a small aperture size (“D”). Image sharpness improved when the aperture size was reduced to below 10mm by 10mm in the TNRF. On the other hand, there was almost no difference in unsharpness on images obtained above 10mm by 10mm in aperture size. These results indicate that an aperture size of less than 10mm by 10mm should be used for high-spatial-resolution imaging at the TNRF. The beam area of the small-aperture slits was relatively small in comparison with that of a conventional large collimator, though gradually increasing with increasing aperture size. Even with an aperture size of 5mm by 5 mm, the practical beam area for imaging examinations corresponded to around 25mm by 20 mm, which is enough area to carry out high-spatial-resolution imaging.