Neutron Absorption Techniques Using Focused Cold Neutrons From a Radioisotopic-Source Capillary-Optic System

SBIR第一阶段项目将开发一种技术，用于从放射性同位素源产生可用于中子吸收分析的聚焦冷中子束。 中子吸收技术的分析应用，如γ-活化分析（PGAA）和中子深度剖面（NDP），由于它们能够无损地检测许多轻元素，而这些元素实际上是不可能通过其他技术检测的。 然而，大多数潜在的用户不能利用这些方法，因为传统的技术需要一个反应堆作为中子源。 在这个项目中，新开发的毛细管光学技术将与california-252源结合使用，以提供基本上不含伽马射线和高能中子的聚焦冷中子束。 使用冷中子来获得增加的反应截面和背景的减少将提高灵敏度，因此中子吸收技术可以广泛用于非反应堆基中子源。

The SBIR Phase I project will develop a technology for producing focused cold neutron beams from radioisotopic sources which can be used for neutron absorption analysis. Analytical uses of neutron absorption techniques such as prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and neutron depth profiling (NDP) have increased greatly on account of their ability to detect nondestructively many light elements that are virtually impossible to detect by other techniques. However, most potential users cannot take advantage of these methods because of the techniques traditionally require a reactor as a source of neutrons. In this project new developed capillary optics technology will be used in conjunction with a californium-252 source to deliver a focused cold neutron beam which is essentially free of gamma rays and higher energy neutrons. The use of cold neutrons to obtain increased reaction cross section and the reduction in background will improve sensitivity so neutron absorption techniques can be widely used with non-reactor-based neutron sources.