Quantification of the sensitivity range in neutron dark-field imaging

B Betz; R P Harti; M Strobl; J Hovind; A Kaestner; E Lehmann; H Van Swygenhoven; C Grünzweig

doi:10.1063/1.4937616

Quantification of the sensitivity range in neutron dark-field imaging

Rev Sci Instrum. 2015 Dec;86(12):123704. doi: 10.1063/1.4937616.

Authors

B Betz¹, R P Harti¹, M Strobl², J Hovind¹, A Kaestner¹, E Lehmann¹, H Van Swygenhoven³, C Grünzweig¹

Affiliations

¹ Paul Scherrer Institute, LNS, Neutron Imaging and Activation Group, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
² European Spallation Source ESS, 22100 Lund, Sweden and University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
³ Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, NXMM Laboratory, IMX, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland and Paul Scherrer Institut, NXMM, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland.

PMID: 26724039
DOI: 10.1063/1.4937616

Abstract

In neutron grating interferometry, the dark-field image visualizes the scattering properties of samples in the small-angle and ultra-small-angle scattering range. These angles correspond to correlation lengths from several hundred nanometers up to several tens of micrometers. In this article, we present an experimental study that demonstrates the potential of quantitative neutron dark-field imaging. The dark-field signal for scattering from different particle sizes and concentrations of mono-dispersive polystyrene particles in aqueous solution is compared to theoretical predictions and the good agreement between measurements and calculations underlines the quantitative nature of the measured values and reliability of the technique with neutrons.