To produce accurate pictures of objects to see their structure
The imaging technique detects all the neutrons that are transmitted through a sample, i.e. all neutrons that are not removed from the beam by absorption or scattering processes. Two-dimensional (radiography) or three-dimensional (tomography) images of a broad variety of samples can be obtained, delivering information on internal structures.
In contrast to X-rays, neutrons are able to penetrate thick layers of metals and provide on the other hand a high sensitivity to hydrogen containing materials. In recent years a large number of applications in fields like materials science, biology, medicine, geology and archaeology have been reported.
- MLZ, http://www.mlz-garching.de/englisch/neutron-research/experimental-methods.html
- Kardilov et al., Journal of Neutron Research 14(1), 29–36 (2006)