ProductsOur Selection of Scintillators for Neutron Imaging
PP / ZnS-screens (fast neutrons)
Typical scintillation screens for imaging with fast neutrons are ZnS filled PP plates. They are available with different emission wavelength (blue to orange), while the green to orange emitting types match very well with standard CCD-camera systems.
Due to the big range of available thicknesses (1.5 to 3.0 mm) and sizes (up to 450 x 450 mm) you are able to adjust the performance of the screen perfectly to your environment. (High light output or high resolution).
A good overview about the most important technical specifications is given in the publication from M. Makowska et al (J. Imaging 2017, 3, 60).
ZnS:Ag or Cu applied on a PE plate
In collaboration with staff from LANSCE (Los Alamos) / PSI (Villigen) / FRM II (Garching) we were able to develop these scintillators with exceptionally good resolution for fast neutron imaging. Technical details can be found in the publication (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164809)
The resolution and light yield is mainly determined by the thickness of the scintillation layer. The thickness of the PE sheet has a smaller influence. Basically, the higher the layer thickness, the higher the light yield and the lower the resolution. For high resolutions we recommend a layer thickness of 60 µm of ZnS:Ag on a PE plate of 2 mm. For high luminous efficacy a layer thickness of 150 µm of ZnS:Ag on a PE-plate of 3 mm.
Standard scintillation screens for neutron imaging with fast neutrons (>0.8 MeV):
| Basematerial | Emission | Dimension | Thickness | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP / ZnS:Cu (30%) | 530 nm (green) | up to 310 x 310 mm2 | 2.5 mm | Very high light output and good resolution |
| PP / ZnS:Ag (30%) | 450 nm (blue) | up to 310 x 310 mm2 | 2.5 mm | Very high light output and good resolution |
2 Coatings PE / ZnS:Ag | 450 nm (blue) | up to 420 x 420 mm2 | PE: 1 - 5 mm ZnS: 50 - 400 µm | Very high resolution and good light output Low Gamma sensitivity |
2 Schicht PE / ZnS:Cu | 530 nm (green) | up to 420 x 420 mm2 | PE: 1 - 5 mm ZnS: 50 - 400 µm | Very high resolution and good light output |