Characterization of the new neutron imaging and materials science facility IMAT

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2018.01.037
• Publication Date: 2018-01-31T12:16:54Z
• Authors: Triestino Minniti; Kenichi Watanabe; Genoveva Burca; Daniel E. Pooley; Winfried Kockelmann
• Keywords: Pulsed neutron source; Settore FIS/07; Neutron energy-selective imaging; 530; 01 natural sciences; Settore PHYS-06/A - Fisica per le scienze della vita; Neutron bragg-edge imaging; Neutron tomography; Neutron energy-dispersive imaging; Neutron imaging; 0103 physical sciences; l'ambiente e i beni culturali

Abstract IMAT is a new cold neutron imaging and diffraction instrument located at the second target station of the pulsed neutron spallation source ISIS, UK. A broad range of materials science and materials testing areas will be covered by IMAT. We present the characterization of the imaging part, including the energy-selective and energy-dispersive imaging options, and provide the basic parameters of the radiography and tomography instrument. In particular, detailed studies on mono and bi-dimensional neutron beam flux profiles, neutron flux as a function of the neutron wavelength, spatial and energy dependent neutron beam uniformities, guide artifacts, divergence and spatial resolution, and neutron pulse widths are provided. An accurate characterization of the neutron beam at the sample position, located 56 m from the source, is required to optimize collection of radiographic and tomographic data sets and for performing energy-dispersive neutron imaging via time-of-flight methods in particular.