A Low-cost Neutron Radiography Device

A simple digital neutron radiography device consisting of an off-the-shelf Canon camera and a scintillation screen in a single-mirror refection configuration was tested at The Ohio State University Research Reactor. The device is capable of 5.8 (lp/mm) spatial resolution at 10% modulation transfer function (MTF), corresponding to 86 μm. Although this resolution is not on a par with a cooled CCD based system, it does provide a low-cost alternative with an adequate resolution and simplicity for applications where such ability is needed but resources are limited. The performance of the neutron imaging apparatus was quantified with the MTF, noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE). While the perceptual contrast increases with neutron fluence, the MTF remains roughly constant and the total DQE levels off when a threshold fluence is reached.