Single-exposure elemental differentiation and texture-sensitive phase-retrieval imaging with a neutron-counting microchannel-plate detector

Single-exposure elemental differentiation and texture-sensitive phase-retrieval imaging with a neutron-counting microchannel-plate detector

Citation

Arhatari, B. D., Paganin, D. M., Kirkwood, H., Tremsin, A. S., Gureyev, T. E., Korsunsky, A. M., ... & Abbey, B. (n.d.). Single-exposure elemental differentiation and texture-sensitive phase-retrieval imaging with a neutron counting micro-channel plate detector. 

Keywords

  • Neutron imaging
  • Micro-channel plate (MCP) detector
  • Elemental differentiation
  • Texture-sensitive imaging
  • Phase retrieval
  • Neutron cross-section
  • Bragg edges
  • Pulsed neutron source

Brief

This article describes a multimodal neutron imaging approach that uses a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector to obtain spectroscopic information from a single exposure, enabling quantitative elemental differentiation imaging and texture-sensitive in-line phase imaging. 

Summary

This article explores the use of micro-channel plate (MCP) detectors in neutron imaging, specifically at pulsed-neutron-source instruments. The sources highlight the detectors' ability to provide high spatial resolution, high contrast imaging, and pixel-level spectroscopic information. This allows for multimodal analysis, including:

  • Total neutron cross-section spectra measurements: This involves comparing experimental neutron cross-section spectra with theoretical predictions. The sources note good agreement between experimental data from textured samples and simulated results.
  • Quantitative material differentiation imaging: By employing a matrix-inversion method based on the Beer-Lambert law, the authors demonstrate the ability to differentiate and quantify elemental distributions within a sample.
  • Texture-sensitive in-line phase imaging: This method utilizes phase-retrieval algorithms to identify changes in texture within a sample. The presence of texture alters the retrieved signal, creating an effective projected thickness that deviates from the actual thickness, thereby revealing textural variations.

The authors emphasize the advantages of MCP detectors, including their energy-resolving properties, ability to capture full-field images at multiple wavelengths without scanning, and enhanced signal-to-noise ratio in phase-retrieved images. The research demonstrates the potential of this multimodal approach for non-destructive and quantitative neutron imaging. 

Origin: https://www.semanticscholar.org/reader/776f50dd78befa82752b78e3b4484b2f91b5c43c
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