Neutron transmission imaging system with a superconducting kinetic inductance detector

Vu, TheDang*; 宍戸 寛明*; 相澤 一也; 奥 隆之; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 小嶋 健児*; 宮嶋 茂之*; 曽山 和彦; 小山 富男*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 2776, p.012009_1 - 012009_9, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2776/1/012009

We optimized the design and operating conditions of our superconducting neutron detector to improve spatial resolution. We obtained the best spatial resolution of 10 m when a Gd Siemens star pattern was mounted at close contact with the detector in the cryostat. We compared the effect of a different sample-detector distance on a spatial resolution when the samples were placed either at cryogenic temperature or at room temperature. We found the appearance of clear Bragg dips by the measurements of natural FeS single crystals and succeeded in mapping the distribution of differently-oriented crystals by choosing several Bragg dips of the FeS crystals to compose the transmission images.

Orientation mapping of YbSn single crystals based on Bragg-dip analysis using a delay-line superconducting sensor

宍戸 寛明*; Vu, TheDang*; 相澤 一也; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; 宮嶋 茂之*; et al.

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 56(4), p.1108 - 1113, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576723005204

Recent progress in high-power pulsed neutron sources has stimulated the development of the Bragg dip and Bragg edge analysis methods using a two-dimensional neutron detector with high temporal resolution to resolve the neutron energy by the time-of-flight method. A delay-line current-biased kinetic inductance detector (CB-KID) is a two-dimensional superconducting sensor with a high temporal resolution and multi-hit capability. Here, it is demonstrated that a delay-line CB-KID with a B neutron conversion layer can be applied to high-spatial-resolution neutron transmission imaging and spectroscopy up to 100 eV. Dip structures are observed in the transmission spectra of YbSn single crystals, induced by Bragg diffraction and nuclear resonance absorption. The orientation mapping of YbSn crystals is successfully drawn based on the analysis of observed Bragg dip positions in the transmission spectra.

Practical tests of neutron transmission imaging with a superconducting kinetic-inductance sensor

Vu, TheDang; 宍戸 寛明*; 相澤 一也; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; 宮嶋 茂之*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1006, p.165411_1 - 165411_8, 2021/08

AA2020-0482.pdf:3.12MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165411

We found that the sizes of the Gd islands determined from the transmission image correlated strongly with those determined from the SEM image. We demonstrated the CB-KID could be used to identify (1) tiny voids in a thermally sprayed continuous GdO film in and (2) various mosaic morphologies and different eutectic microstructures in Wood's metal samples. The fact that the CB-KID system could be used to identify features of samples with a wide distribution of sizes and thicknesses is promising for real application of the device for imaging samples of interest to material scientists. Operating the CB-KID at higher temperatures appreciably improved the efficiency for simultaneously identifying the X and Y positions of hotspots. We also compared the detection efficiency with the PHITS simulations. We now plan to improve the detection efficiency by increasing the thickness of the B neutron conversion layer

Homogeneity of neutron transmission imaging over a large sensitive area with a four-channel superconducting detector

Vu, TheDang; 宍戸 寛明*; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 宮嶋 茂之*; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; 相澤 一也; et al.

Superconductor Science and Technology, 34(1), p.015010_1 - 015010_10, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/abc2af

We demonstrated that a four-readout superconducting neutron imaging system shows good spatial heterogeneity and linearity using the delay-line method. We examined the precise pattern of a B-dot-array absorber and found the X-direction pitch (Px) = 250.7 um with a scatter of (Hx)= 5.4 um and the Y-direction pitch (Py)= 249.1 um with a scatter of (Hy)= 3.4 um while the B dot array was fully extended toward the X direction across the detector sensitive area. We consider that this demonstrates detection with good spatial homogeneity and conclude. The transmission-imaging system is suitable for use at pulsed neutron facilities. We also reported a clear transmission image of tiny screws and nuts, and ladybug (insect). We recognize that further efforts to improve the detection efficiency are necessary to make using the detector more practical.

Energy-resolved neutron imaging with high spatial resolution using a superconducting delay-line kinetic inductance detector

飯澤 侑貴*; 宍戸 寛明*; 西村 和真*; Vu, TheDang*; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 宮嶋 茂之*; 日高 睦夫*; et al.

Superconductor Science and Technology, 32(12), p.125009_1 - 125009_8, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/ab4e5c

Neutron imaging is one of the key technologies for non-destructive transmission testing. Recent progress in the development of intensive neutron sources allows us to perform energy-resolved neutron imaging with high spatial resolution. We have been developing a neutron imager aiming at conducting high spatial and temporal resolution imaging based on a delay-line neutron detector, called the current-biased kinetic-inductance detector, with a conversion layer B. The detector allowed us to obtain a neutron transmission image with four signal readout lines. Herein, we expanded the sensor active area, and improved the spatial resolution of the detector. We examined the capability of high spatial resolution neutron imaging over the sensor active area of 15 15 mm for various samples, including biological and metal ones. We also demonstrated an energy-resolved neutron image in which stainless-steel specimens were discriminating of other specimens with the aid of the Bragg edge transmission.

Computer simulation of chemotaxis in in consideration of whole-body movements

曽 智*; 鈴木 芳代; 栗田 雄一*; 辻 敏夫*

Proceedings of SAI Intelligent Systems Conference 2015 (IntelliSys 2015), p.651 - 656, 2015/00

https://doi.org/10.1109/IntelliSys.2015.7361209

The tiny roundworm () is one of the simplest multicellular organisms known, with a neural circuit consisting of just 302 neurons. Despite its simplicity, the worm can navigate efficiently to the source of a target chemical - a movement known as chemotaxis. Recent studies have revealed that the worm utilizes only two sensory neurons to determine the temporal and spatial gradients of chemical substances for chemotaxis, but its neural computation mechanism is not yet fully understood. The authors propose a mathematical model based on measurement data and neural connection structure to simulate chemotaxis and using a robot simulator platform in order to account for wholebody movements. The simulation results are used as a basis for discussion of how chemical gradients are calculated in neurons.

北朝鮮による地下核実験に備えた放射性物質の拡散予測体制の構築と実対応

中西 千佳; 佐藤 猛; 佐藤 宗平; 永井 晴康; 掛札 豊和; 堅田 元喜; 都築 克紀; 池田 武司; 奥野 浩; 山本 一也; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2013-030, 105 Pages, 2013/10

JAEA-Technology-2013-030.pdf:29.0MB

原子力緊急時支援・研修センター及び原子力基礎工学研究部門は、文部科学省からの要請に基づき、北朝鮮による三回目の地下核実験に対するモニタリング計画の策定に資する目的から、WSPEEDI-IIを用いた放射性物質の放出を仮定した拡散予測を行った。これらの予測結果は、平成25年2月12日から22日までの毎日、文部科学省及び防衛省に提供し、文部科学省のホームページにて公開された。一方、両部門では、平成24年4月から平成25年3月までの11か月間、夜間・休日を含め、地下核実験の実施に備えた体制の維持に努めた。本報では、これらの一連の対応の概要及び得られた課題について整理した。

Evaluation on double-wall-tube residual stress distribution of sodium-heated steam generator by neutron diffraction and numerical analysis

木曽原 直之; 鈴木 裕士; 秋田 貢一; 笠原 直人*

Proceedings of 2012 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP '12) (CD-ROM), p.621 - 630, 2012/06

A double-wall-tube is the steam generator heat transfer tube of future sodium fast reactors in Japan. An inner tube and an outer tube are contacted to keep the heat transfer performance. The contact stress falls down due to relaxation, and this phenomenon might degrade the heat transfer performance. Although the relaxation can be predicted by numerical analysis, the analysis requires the data of the initial stress distributions. However, unclear initial stress distributions prevent precious relaxation evaluation. To resolve this issue, a neutron diffraction method was employed to reveal the initial stress distributions. The measurement results were also analyzed using a structural computer code to determine the initial stress distributions. Based on the stress distributions, the computer code has predicted the transition of the contact stress, and showed that the inner and outer tubes are contacted with sufficient stresses during the plant life time.

A Novel tuning method for neural oscillators with a ladder-like structure based on oscillation analysis

服部 佑哉; 鈴木 芳代; 曽 智*; 小林 泰彦; 辻 敏夫*

Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6352, p.401 - 410, 2010/09

Neural oscillators with a ladder-like structure is one of the central pattern generator (CPG) model that is used to simulate rhythmic movements in living organisms. However, it is not easy to realize rhythmical cycles by tuning many parameters of neural oscillators. In this study, we propose an automatic tuning method. We derive the tuning rules for both the time constants and the coefficients of amplitude by linearizing the nonlinear equations of the neural oscillators. Other parameters such as neural connection weights are tuned using a genetic algorithm (GA). Through numerical experiments, we confirmed that the proposed tuning method can successfully tune all parameters.

高速増殖炉サイクルの実用化戦略調査研究フェーズII中間報告; 原子炉プラントシステム技術検討書

此村 守; 小川 隆; 岡野 靖; 山口 浩之; 村上 勤; 高木 直行; 西口 洋平; 杉野 和輝; 永沼 正行; 菱田 正彦; et al.

JNC TN9400 2004-035, 2071 Pages, 2004/06

JNC-TN9400-2004-035.pdf:76.42MB

ナトリウム冷却炉、鉛ビスマス冷却炉、ヘリウムガス冷却炉及び水冷却炉について、革新技術を導入し炉型の特徴を活かした炉システム概念を構築し、その概念の成立の見通しを得るための検討を行うとともに、設計要求への適合性を評価した。その結果、2015年頃に高速増殖炉技術を実用化するためには、現状の知見で課題とされた項目で画期的な技術革新がないかぎり、ナトリウムを冷却材して選択することが合理的であることが明らかとなった。