Microstructured boron foil scintillating G-GEM detector for neutron imaging

In this study, a new simple neutron imaging gaseous detector was successfully developed by combining a micro-structured 10B foil, a glass gas electron multiplier (G-GEM), and a mirror-lens-charge-coupled device (CCD)-camera system. The neutron imaging system consists of a chamber filled with Ar/CF4 scintillating gas mixture. Inside this system, the G-GEM is mounted for gas multiplication. The neutron detection in this system is based on the reaction between 10B and neutrons. A micro-structured 10B is developed to overcome the issue of low detection efficiency. Secondary electrons excite Ar/CF4 gas molecules, and high-yield visible photons are emitted from those excited gas molecules during the gas electron multiplication process in the G-GEM holes. These photons are easily detected by a mirror-lens-CCD-camera system. A neutron radiograph is then simply formed. We obtain the neutron images of different materials with a compact accelerator-driven neutron source. We confirm that the new scintillating G-GEM-based neutron imager works properly with low gamma ray sensitivity and exhibits a good performance as a new simple digital neutron imaging device.