Development of a CCD-based image acquiring system for neutrons at the Argonauta reactor

Abstract

A thermal neutron image acquiring system is being developed at the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear-IEN (CNEN). This system would be capable to perform non-destructive assays after 2D images acquired on a real or quasi real time basis as well as 3D tomographic images reconstructed from the two-dimensional ones. The source-detector set is constituted by the Argonauta reactor - furnishing a thermal neutron flux of 4.46 × 105 n· cm-2 ·s-1 - and by a converter- scintillating screen for this kind of radiation. After a 90° deviation from its original path through a dark chamber provided with a properly positioned mirror, the light emitted by this screen is captured by a CCD-based video-camera coupled to a microcomputer which processes the data and supplies the final digital images. As a previous step aiming at the gathering of parameters and features to characterize the system, a conventional photo camera has been used instead of the video-camera being yet purchased. This work presents the qualitative and quantitative results obtained by using this preliminary system, such as 2D images of several objects and the Modulation Transfer Function-MTF respectively. Besides that, a comparison is made between the results achieved by using this system and those arising from a traditional neutrongraphy employing radiographic films.