TY - JOUR
T1 - Phase-contrast neutron imaging compared with wave propagation and McStas simulations
AU - Naver, Estrid Buhl
AU - Bertelsen, Mads
AU - Østergaard, Maja
AU - Battaglia, Domenico
AU - Willendrup, Peter
AU - Trtik, Pavel
AU - Schmidt, Søren
AU - Birkedal, Henrik
AU - Kuhn, Luise Theil
PY - 2024/6/1
Y1 - 2024/6/1
N2 - Propagation-based phase contrast, for example in the form of edge enhancement contrast, is well established within X-ray imaging but is not widely used in neutron imaging. This technique can help increase the contrast of low-attenuation samples but may confuse quantitative absorption measurements. Therefore, it is important to understand the experimental parameters that cause and amplify or dampen this effect in order to optimize future experiments properly. Two simulation approaches have been investigated, a wave-based simulation and a particle-based simulation conducted in
McStas [Willendrup & Lefmann (2020).
J. Neutron Res.
22, 1-16], and they are compared with experimental data. The experiment was done on a sample of metal foils with weakly and strongly neutron absorbing layers, which were measured while varying the rotation angle and propagation distance from the sample. The experimental data show multiple signals: attenuation, phase contrast and reflection. The wave model reproduces the sample attenuation and the phase peaks but it does not reproduce the behavior of these peaks as a function of rotation angle. The
McStas simulation agrees better with the experimental data, as it reproduces attenuation, phase peaks and reflection, as well as the change in these signals as a function of rotation angle and distance. This suggests that the
McStas simulation approach, where the particle description of the neutron facilitates the incorporation of multiple effects, is the most convenient way of modeling edge enhancement in neutron imaging.
AB - Propagation-based phase contrast, for example in the form of edge enhancement contrast, is well established within X-ray imaging but is not widely used in neutron imaging. This technique can help increase the contrast of low-attenuation samples but may confuse quantitative absorption measurements. Therefore, it is important to understand the experimental parameters that cause and amplify or dampen this effect in order to optimize future experiments properly. Two simulation approaches have been investigated, a wave-based simulation and a particle-based simulation conducted in
McStas [Willendrup & Lefmann (2020).
J. Neutron Res.
22, 1-16], and they are compared with experimental data. The experiment was done on a sample of metal foils with weakly and strongly neutron absorbing layers, which were measured while varying the rotation angle and propagation distance from the sample. The experimental data show multiple signals: attenuation, phase contrast and reflection. The wave model reproduces the sample attenuation and the phase peaks but it does not reproduce the behavior of these peaks as a function of rotation angle. The
McStas simulation agrees better with the experimental data, as it reproduces attenuation, phase peaks and reflection, as well as the change in these signals as a function of rotation angle and distance. This suggests that the
McStas simulation approach, where the particle description of the neutron facilitates the incorporation of multiple effects, is the most convenient way of modeling edge enhancement in neutron imaging.
KW - McStas
KW - neutron imaging
KW - phase-contrast imaging
KW - refraction
KW - simulations
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85195198497
U2 - 10.1107/S1600576724003030
DO - 10.1107/S1600576724003030
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38846762
SN - 0021-8898
VL - 57
SP - 707
EP - 713
JO - Journal of Applied Crystallography
JF - Journal of Applied Crystallography
IS - 3
ER -