Multi-dimensional neutron computed tomography using cooled charge-coupled devices

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nuclear science Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 612 - 622
• Main Authors: McFarland, E.W., Lanza, R.C., Poulos, G.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.04.1991; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: 550602 - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-); Assembly; CARBONATE MINERALS; CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES; Computed tomography; COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY; DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES; DOLOMITE; DRILL CORES; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Imaging and optical processing; MATERIALS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MINERALS; MOCKUP; NEUTRON DETECTORS; NEUTRON SOURCES; Neutrons; OIL WELLS; Optical coupling; Optical devices; Optical imaging; Optical materials; Optical scattering; Optics; PARTICLE SOURCES; PHANTOMS; Physics; POSITION SENSITIVE DETECTORS; Position sensitive particle detectors; Prototypes; RADIATION DETECTORS; RADIATION SOURCES; RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; RESOLUTION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SPATIAL RESOLUTION; STRUCTURAL MODELS; THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; TOMOGRAPHY; WELLS; Characterization; Imaging; Charge coupled device; Theoretical study; Neutrons; Tomography; Particle detector; Medical application; Image reconstruction
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/23.289365

A prototype position-sensitive neutron detector was designed and built for two- and three-dimensional tomographic imaging of materials and complex assemblies. The detector system consists of an LiF-ZnS scintillator screen optically coupled to a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD). Practical resolution limits of the single-screen system were calculated to be approximately 100 mu m, determined by the neutron-beam divergence and the resolution of the scintillator screen. Contrast resolution in a (200- mu m)/sup 3/ volume element was calculated to be 1% of the cross section in small samples. The system included the MIT Research Reactor as a thermal neutron source (nominal flux approximately 2.4*10/sup 8/ n degrees /cm-/sup 2/s), a rotating sample holder, and the two-dimensional position-sensitive detector. The effects of scatter were estimated and compared to data. Two- and three-dimensional tomograms of phantoms and several demonstration objects, including a control valve and an oil well dolomite core sample, were obtained.< >