Neutron transmission spectroscopic imaging for analysis of texture in materials for industrial use

The total neutron cross section has special features reflecting the crystal structure for the coherent scattering material and also the dynamics in the material for the incoherent scattering material. An image indicating the number density, the crystal structure, the preferred orientation, and the strain of the material can be obtained by using the time-of-flight energy analysis coupled with a two-dimensional position sensitive detector at a pulsed neutron source. Here, first the principle of spectroscopic imaging using the time-of-flight method at a pulsed neutron source is described and the images including the information written above are described for an unbended iron plate and a Pb-Bi eutectic. It is suggested that the spectroscopic imaging has ability to evaluate quantitatively the texture information of the materials and to inspect the complex phase change in the materials. (author)