Abstract
Neutron imaging is a powerful tool for observing the internal structure of an object without destroying the object. Neutron imaging (neutron radiography) is a prominent application of neutrons but still requires significant improvements, for example, in sensitivity, resolution, radiation hardness, and handling of neutron imaging detectors. This paper presents the development and the first neutron imaging results of a neutron flat-panel detector (nFPD) based on an In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT)/photodiode array coupled with a LiF/ZnS scintillator sheet. Direct photo-coupling to the scintillator increases the light collection efficiency. Moreover, unlike lens-coupled neutron cameras, the proposed detector is compact and easy to handle. Owing to the high off-state resistance of IGZO TFTs, their leakage current is lower than that of conventional TFTs, enabling the IGZO TFTs to hold an accumulated charge for a longer period of time and allowing longer exposure times for imaging. This would be a powerful feature for imaging at compact neutron sources with limited flux. This paper reports on the first neutron imaging results with an IGZO nFPD, its performance evaluation, and a demonstration of three-dimensional computed tomography with neutrons.
Highlights
Just as x-ray imaging is an efficient internal observation method used in various fields, neutron imaging is a powerful tool for observing objects internally without destroying the objects.1–4 As every material interacts differently with neutrons and x rays, neutron imaging provides a different type of information that x rays cannot provide.5,6 various neutron sources, including accelerator-driven neutron sources, have been developed, making neutron imaging more accessible.7,8 the demand for neutron imaging is increasing, for industrial applications, such as inspection of fuel cells, reactor fuels, space rocket parts, engine nozzles, and turbine blades for aircraft engines.9Desirable properties of neutron imaging detectors include a large field of view (FOV), high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, radiation hardness, and ease of use
A digital neutron imaging detector with a scintillator that is directly coupled to photo-sensors is desired, as direct photo-coupling is a promising technique to achieve high sensitivity and high spatial resolution in a device that is small in size and easy to handle
Since the spatial resolution is affected by the statistical errors of T(i, j), which will be discussed in Subsection IV C, we exposed for a sufficiently long time (5 s) such that the digital signal value reached up to 50 000 to obtain this image in order to minimize the influence of statistical errors in the evaluation
Summary
Desirable properties of neutron imaging detectors include a large field of view (FOV), high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, radiation hardness, and ease of use. For digital neutron imaging applications, lens-coupled indirect neutron imaging detectors are prevalent.12 This indirect scitation.org/journal/rsi imaging system consists of a scintillator that produces a visible-light image of a neutron beam, a dark box, a mirror reflecting at 90○, a lens, and a digital camera. The advantages of this type of detector are that it is easy to use, has a variable FOV and resolution, is cost effective, has radiation hardness, and can achieve high frame rates. A digital neutron imaging detector with a scintillator that is directly coupled to photo-sensors is desired, as direct photo-coupling is a promising technique to achieve high sensitivity and high spatial resolution in a device that is small in size and easy to handle.
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