Abstract
Digital camera-based neutron imaging systems consisting of a neutron scintillator screen optically coupled to a digital camera are the most common digital neutron imaging system used in the neutron imaging community and are available at any state-of-the-art imaging facility world-wide. Neutron scintillator screens are the integral component of these imaging system that directly interacts with the neutron beam and dictates the neutron capture efficiency and image quality limitations of the imaging system. This work describes a novel approach for testing neutron scintillators that provides a simple and efficient way to measure relative light yield and detection efficiency over a range of scintillator thicknesses using a single scintillator screen and only a few radiographs. Additionally, two methods for correlating the screen thickness to the measured data were implemented and compared. An example 6LiF:ZnS scintillator screen with nominal thicknesses ranging from 0–300 μm was used to demonstrate this approach. The multi-thickness screen and image and data processing methods are not exclusive to neutron scintillator screens but could be applied to X-ray imaging as well. This approach has the potential to benefit the entire radiographic imaging community by offering an efficient path forward for manufacturers to develop higher-performance scintillators and for imaging facilities and service providers to determine the optimal screen parameters for their particular beam and imaging system.
Highlights
Radiography measures the neutron transmission through a sample to non-destructively visualize its internal condition
Neutron radiography has been utilized in a multitude of applications including those of nuclear fuels [1,2,3,4,5], cultural heritage objects [6,7,8], and industrial applications such as fuel cells [9,10,11,12,13] and turbine blade analysis [14,15,16]
A general criterion is that a neutron scintillator screen should ideally fill 80% of a digital camera’s dynamic range, but this may vary depending on exposure time to produce a useful radiograph and the available beamtime
Summary
Radiography measures the neutron transmission through a sample to non-destructively visualize its internal condition. A common method to measure detection efficiency uses a photomultiplier tube and multichannel analyzer to perform pulse height analysis on the scintillator screen’s signal, which is compared to the signal of a reference detector [20,21]. Does this require expensive equipment, but it requires additional measurements and is more time consuming. Improved testing and evaluation methods to more efficiently evaluate screen performance would benefit manufacturers of scintillator screens seeking to produce ever-better screens and those who operate neutron imaging facilities seeking to determine which screen parameters provide the desired performance with their particular neutron beam and imaging system. This work offers a new way to test and evaluate scintillator screens by implementing a variable-thickness scintillator screen geometry with a new efficient test method that simultaneously provides relative light output and detection efficiency for a continuous range of scintillator screen thicknesses
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
