Spatial distribution and preferred orientation of crystalline microstructure of lead-bismuth eutectic

Ito, Daisuke*; Sato, Hirotaka*; Odaira, Naoya*; Saito, Yasushi*; Parker, J. D.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Kai, Tetsuya; Oikawa, Kenichi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 569, p.153921_1 - 153921_6, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153921

High spatial resolution neutron transmission imaging using a superconducting two-dimensional detector

Shishido, Hiroaki*; Nishimura, Kazuma*; Vu, TheDang*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Kojima, Kenji M*; Koyama, Tomio*; Oikawa, Kenichi; Harada, Masahide; Oku, Takayuki; Soyama, Kazuhiko; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 31(9), p.2400505_1 - 2400505_5, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2021.3111396

In this study, we employed a superconducting detector, current-biased kinetic-inductance detector (CB-KID) for neutron imaging using a pulsed neutron source. We employed the delay-line method, and high spatial resolution imaging with only four reading channels was achieved. We also performed wavelength-resolved neutron imaging by the time-of-flight method. We obtained the neutron transmission images of a Gd-Al alloy sample, inside which single crystals of GdAl were grown, using the delay-line CB-KID. Single crystals were well imaged, in both shapes and distributions, throughout the Al-Gd alloy. We identified Gd nuclei via neutron transmissions that exhibited characteristic suppression above the neutron wavelength of 0.03 nm. In addition, the Gd resonance dip, a dip structure of the transmission caused by the nuclear reaction between an isotope and neutrons, was observed even when the number of events was summed over a limited area of 15 m 12 m. Gd selective imaging was performed using the resonance dip of Gd, and it showed clear Gd distribution even with a limited neutron wavelength range of 1 pm.

Calibration and optimization of Bragg edge analysis in energy-resolved neutron imaging experiments

Tremsin, A. S.*; Bilheux, H. Z.*; Bilheux, J. C.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Oikawa, Kenichi; Gao, Y.*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1009, p.165493_1 - 165493_12, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165493

Chemical-pressure-induced point defects enable low thermal conductivity for MgSn and MgSi single crystals

Saito, Wataru*; Hayashi, Kei*; Huang, Z.*; Sugimoto, Kazuya*; Oyama, Kenji*; Happo, Naohisa*; Harada, Masahide; Oikawa, Kenichi; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Hayashi, Koichi*; et al.

ACS Applied Energy Materials (Internet), 4(5), p.5123 - 5131, 2021/05

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.1c00670

Feasibility study of PGAA for boride identification in simulated melted core materials

Tsuchikawa, Yusuke; Abe, Yuta; Oishi, Yuji*; Kai, Tetsuya; Toh, Yosuke; Segawa, Mariko; Maeda, Makoto; Kimura, Atsushi; Nakamura, Shoji; Harada, Masahide; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011074_1 - 011074_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011074

In the decommissioning of the Fukushima-Daiichi (1F) Nuclear Power Plant, it is essential to understand characteristics of the melted core materials. The estimation of boride in the real debris is of great importance to develop safe debris removal plans. Hence, it is required to investigate the amount of boron in the melted core materials with nondestructive methods. Prompt gamma-ray activation analysis (PGAA) is one of the useful techniques to determine the amount of borides by means of the 478 keV prompt gamma-ray from neutron absorption reaction of boron. Moreover, it is well known that the width of the 478 keV gamma-ray peak is typically broadened due to the Doppler effect. The degree of the broadening is affected by coexisting materials, and can be recognized by the width of the prompt gamma-ray peak. As a feasibility study, the prompt gamma-ray from boride samples were measured using the ANNRI, NOBORU, and RADEN beamlines at the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) of Japan Proton Accelerator Complex (J-PARC).

Neutron Bragg-edge transmission imaging for microstructure and residual strain in induction hardened gears

Su, Y. H.; Oikawa, Kenichi; Shinohara, Takenao; Kai, Tetsuya; Horino, Takashi*; Idohara, Osamu*; Misaka, Yoshitaka*; Tomota, Yo*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 11, p.4155_1 - 4155_14, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83555-9

Behavior of Sm in the boron cage of Sm-doped B ( =Yb, La) observed by multiple-wavelength neutron holography

Uechi, Shoichi*; Oyama, Kenji*; Fukumoto, Yohei*; Kanazawa, Yuki*; Happo, Naohisa*; Harada, Masahide; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Oikawa, Kenichi; Matsuhra, Wataru*; Iga, Fumitoshi*; et al.

Physical Review B, 102(5), p.054104_1 - 054104_10, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.054104

Impact of hydrided and non-hydrided materials near transistors on neutron-induced single event upsets

Abe, Shinichiro; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Kuroda, Junya*; Manabe, Seiya*; Watanabe, Yukinobu*; Liao, W.*; Ito, Kojiro*; Hashimoto, Masanori*; Harada, Masahide; Oikawa, Kenichi; et al.

Proceedings of IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS 2020) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1109/IRPS45951.2020.9128951

Single event upsets (SEUs) caused by neutrons have been recognized as a serious reliability problem for microelectronic devices on the ground level. In our previous work, it was found that hydride placed in front of the memory chip has considerably impact on SEU cross sections because H ions generated via elastic scattering of neutrons with hydrogen atoms are only emitted in a forward direction. In this study, the effect of components neighboring transistors on neutron-induced SEUs was investigated for 65-nm bulk SRAMs by using PHITS. It was found that the shape of the SEU cross section around few MeV comes from the thickness and the position of components placed in front of transistors when that components do not contains hydrogen atoms. By considering components adjoin memory cells in the test board used in the simulation, measured data at J-PARC BL10 were reproduced well. In addition, it was found that the effect of components neighboring transistors on neutron-induced SERs does not negligible in terrestrial environment.

Preparation, thermoelectric properties, and crystal structure of boron-doped MgSi single crystals

Hayashi, Kei*; Saito, Wataru*; Sugimoto, Kazuya*; Oyama, Kenji*; Hayashi, Koichi*; Happo, Naohisa*; Harada, Masahide; Oikawa, Kenichi; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Miyazaki, Yuzuru*

AIP Advances (Internet), 10(3), p.035115_1 - 035115_7, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5143839

Neutron transmission spectrum of liquid lead bismuth eutectic

Oba, Yojiro; Ito, Daisuke*; Saito, Yasushi*; Onodera, Yohei*; Parker, J. D.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Oikawa, Kenichi

Materials Research Proceedings, Vol.15, p.160 - 164, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644900574-25

Lead Bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a promising candidate of the coolant for accelerator driven system (ADS) and fast breeder reactor. Neutron transmission imaging is a powerful technique to investigate the LBE in flow channel. However, previous studies have focused on the analysis of the neutron transmission spectra due to Bragg diffraction (Bragg edge transmission) from the solid phase of the LBE. If the neutron transmission spectra due to the diffraction from a liquid phase can be observed, it is useful to study the behavior of the molten LBE in the flow channel. Therefore, the energy-resolved neutron transmission imaging measurements of the molten LBE was carried out. The observed neutron transmission spectra can be explained by those calculated from the scattering profiles of the molten LBE. This indicates that the structure of the molten LBE can be characterized and mapped using the neutron transmission imaging.