{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,24]],"date-time":"2026-01-24T06:24:39Z","timestamp":1769235879164,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,19]],"date-time":"2020-11-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1605744000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"INL Laboratory Directed Research &amp; Development (LDRD) Program under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517","award":["LDRD Project ID# 20A44-200FP"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LDRD Project ID# 20A44-200FP"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Imaging"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In digital neutron imaging, the neutron scintillator screen is a limiting factor of spatial resolution and neutron capture efficiency and must be improved to enhance the capabilities of digital neutron imaging systems. Commonly used neutron scintillators are based on 6LiF and gadolinium oxysulfide neutron converters. This work explores boron-based neutron scintillators because 10B has a neutron absorption cross-section four times greater than 6Li, less energetic daughter products than Gd and 6Li, and lower \u03b3-ray sensitivity than Gd. These factors all suggest that, although borated neutron scintillators may not produce as much light as 6Li-based screens, they may offer improved neutron statistics and spatial resolution. This work conducts a parametric study to determine the effects of various boron neutron converters, scintillator and converter particle sizes, converter-to-scintillator mix ratio, substrate materials, and sensor construction on image quality. The best performing boron-based scintillator screens demonstrated an improvement in neutron detection efficiency when compared with a common 6LiF\/ZnS scintillator, with a 125% increase in thermal neutron detection efficiency and 67% increase in epithermal neutron detection efficiency. The spatial resolution of high-resolution borated scintillators was measured, and the neutron tomography of a test object was successfully performed using some of the boron-based screens that exhibited the highest spatial resolution. For some applications, boron-based scintillators can be utilized to increase the performance of a digital neutron imaging system by reducing acquisition times and improving neutron statistics.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jimaging6110124","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,19]],"date-time":"2020-11-19T06:23:52Z","timestamp":1605767032000},"page":"124","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Boron-Based Neutron Scintillator Screens for Neutron Imaging"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"William","family":"Chuirazzi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Advanced Post-Irradiation Examination Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USA"}]},{"given":"Aaron","family":"Craft","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Advanced Post-Irradiation Examination Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USA"}]},{"given":"Burkhard","family":"Schillinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II) and Faculty for Physics E21, Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II), Technische Universit\u00e4t M\u00fcnchen, 85748 Garching, Germany"}]},{"given":"Steven","family":"Cool","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DMI\/Reading Imaging, Reading, MA 01867, USA"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Tengattini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universit\u00e9 Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, 3SR, 38000 Grenoble, France"},{"name":"Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"745","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2003.07.059","article-title":"Non-destructive analysis of nuclear fuel by means of thermal and cold neutrons","volume":"515","author":"Lehmann","year":"2003","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"212","DOI":"10.7779\/JKSNT.2013.33.212","article-title":"Measurement of Ballooning Gap Size of Irradiated Fuels Using Neutron Radiography Transfer Method and HV Image Filter","volume":"33","author":"Sim","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Korean Soc. Nondestruct. Test."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"633","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jnucmat.2013.06.007","article-title":"Non-destructive studies of fuel pellets by neutron resonance absorption radiography and thermal neutron radiography","volume":"440","author":"Tremsin","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Nucl. Mater."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.1016\/j.phpro.2015.07.068","article-title":"Neutron Radiography of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel at Idaho National Laboratory","volume":"69","author":"Craft","year":"2015","journal-title":"Phys. Procedia"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2019.02.012","article-title":"On the possibility to investigate irradiated fuel pins non-destructively by digital neutron radiography with a neutron-sensitive microchannel plate detector with Timepix readout","volume":"927","author":"Tremsin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152442","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jnucmat.2020.152442","article-title":"Non-Destructive Post-irradiation Examination Results of the First Modern Fueled Experiments in TREAT","volume":"541","author":"Schulthess","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Nucl. Mater."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2005.01.013","article-title":"Non-invasive studies of objects from cultural heritage","volume":"42","author":"Lehmann","year":"2005","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apradiso.2005.06.003","article-title":"Neutron radiography examination of objects belonging to the cultural heritage","volume":"64","author":"Rant","year":"2006","journal-title":"Appl. Radiat. Isot."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"653","DOI":"10.1016\/j.phpro.2015.07.092","article-title":"Combined Neutron and X-ray Imaging for Non-invasive Investigations of Cultural Heritage Objects","volume":"69","author":"Mannes","year":"2015","journal-title":"Phys. Procedia"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7089","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.02.115","article-title":"Validation of a three dimensional PEM fuel cell CFD model using local liquid water distributions measured with neutron imaging","volume":"39","author":"Iranzo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1107\/S1600576715002794","article-title":"Effect of stress on NiO reduction in solid oxide fuel cells: A new application of energy-resolved neutron imaging","volume":"48","author":"Makowska","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Appl. Crystallogr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"619","DOI":"10.1002\/fuce.201700232","article-title":"Novel Concept for Evaporative Cooling of Fuel Cells: An Experimental Study Based on Neutron Imaging","volume":"18","author":"Cochet","year":"2018","journal-title":"Fuel Cells"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2018.12.143","article-title":"Visualization of liquid water in a lung-inspired flow-field based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell via neutron radiography","volume":"170","author":"Cho","year":"2019","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1139","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2018.11.038","article-title":"Examining the effect of the secondary flow-field on polymer electrolyte fuel cells using X-ray computed radiography and computational modelling","volume":"44","author":"Kulkarni","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1016\/S0168-9002(01)00917-2","article-title":"A neutron tomography facility at a low power research reactor","volume":"471","author":"Koerner","year":"2001","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1007\/s10921-014-0244-x","article-title":"Detecting Internal Hot Corrosion of In-service Turbine Blades Using Neutron Tomography with Gd Tagging","volume":"33","author":"Sim","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Nondestruct. Eval."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ndteint.2015.12.008","article-title":"Simultaneous neutron transmission and diffraction imaging investigations of single crystal nickel-based superalloy turbine blades","volume":"79","author":"Peetermans","year":"2016","journal-title":"NDT E Int."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lehmann, E.H. (2017). Neutron imaging facilities in a global context. J. Imaging, 3.","DOI":"10.3390\/jimaging3040052"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1156","DOI":"10.1063\/1.1716833","article-title":"Scintillator for thermal neutrons using Li6F and ZnS (Ag)","volume":"31","author":"Stedman","year":"1960","journal-title":"Rev. Sci. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1016\/0029-554X(77)90682-6","article-title":"An extremely thin scintillation detector for thermal neutrons","volume":"142","author":"Bensch","year":"1977","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Knoll, G.F. (2000). Radiation Detection and Measurements, Wiley and Sons. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"274","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2004.04.165","article-title":"Scintillation materials for neutron imaging detectors","volume":"529","author":"Katagiri","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mex.2018.12.005","article-title":"Light Yield Enhancement of 157-Gadolinium Oxysulfide Scintillator Screens for the High-Resolution Neutron Imaging","volume":"6","author":"Crha","year":"2019","journal-title":"MethodsX"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"46","article-title":"High-Efficiency Slow-Neutron Scintillation Counters","volume":"14","author":"Sun","year":"1956","journal-title":"Nucleonics"},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"McGonnagle, W.J. (1960). Symposium on Physics and Nondestructive Testing, ANL-6346."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2004.05.005","article-title":"Neutron scintillators with high detection efficiency","volume":"529","author":"Kojima","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2004.05.003","article-title":"Neutron\/\u03b3-ray discrimination characteristics of novel neutron scintillators","volume":"529","author":"Katagiri","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2004.08.027","article-title":"Boron based oxide scintillation glass for neutron detection","volume":"537","author":"Ishii","year":"2005","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/S0168-9002(98)01295-9","article-title":"Performance and characteristics of a new scintillator","volume":"424","author":"Czirr","year":"1999","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1093\/rpd\/nch382","article-title":"Response of a lithium gadolinium borate scintillator in monoenergetic neutron fields","volume":"110","author":"Williams","year":"2004","journal-title":"Radiat. Prot. Dosim."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.1016\/S0168-9002(01)02016-2","article-title":"Discrimination methods between neutron and gamma rays for boron loaded plastic scintillators","volume":"484","author":"Normand","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2005.04.083","article-title":"A neutron detector on the basis of a boron-containing plastic scintillator","volume":"550","author":"Britvich","year":"2005","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2016.01.073","article-title":"Bis(pinacolato)diboron as an additive for the detection of thermal neutrons in plastic scintillators","volume":"816","author":"Mahl","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2017.10.042","article-title":"10B enriched plastic scintillators for application in thermal neutron detection","volume":"880","author":"Mahl","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nucl. Inst. Methods Phys. Res. A"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02923442","article-title":"Preparation and properties of a boron containing scintillator for the detection of slow neutrons","volume":"10","author":"Verhaeghe","year":"1962","journal-title":"Appl. Sci. Res. Sect. B"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3371","DOI":"10.1063\/1.1148299","article-title":"Performance characteristics of scintillators for use in an electronic neutron imaging system for neutron radiography","volume":"68","author":"Brenizer","year":"1997","journal-title":"Rev. Sci. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"012011","DOI":"10.1088\/1742-6596\/620\/1\/012011","article-title":"Thermal neutron scintillators using unenriched boron nitride and zinc sulfide","volume":"620","author":"McMillan","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Phys. Conf. Ser."},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"1","article-title":"Development of a ZnS\/10B2O3 scintillator with low- afterglow phosphor Development of a ZnS\/10B2O3 scintillator with low-afterglow phosphor","volume":"528","author":"Nakamura","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. Work. Neutron Opt. Detect."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"1","article-title":"High Resolution Thermal Neutron Imaging with 10Boron\/CsI:Tl Scintillator Screen","volume":"9499","author":"Miller","year":"2020","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"1","article-title":"Neutron activation of gadolinium for ion therapy: A Monte Carlo study of charged particle beams","volume":"10","author":"Khan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.13182\/NT93-A34855","article-title":"Gadolinium neutron capture therapy","volume":"103","author":"Miller","year":"1993","journal-title":"Nucl. Technol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2012.12.077","article-title":"Measurement of internal conversion electrons from Gd neutron capture","volume":"705","author":"Kandlakunta","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"556","DOI":"10.1667\/0033-7587(2000)154[0556:EAPSFT]2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Electron and photon spectra for three gadolinium-based cancer therapy approaches","volume":"154","author":"Goorley","year":"2000","journal-title":"Radiat. Res."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04001","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-0221\/2\/04\/P04001","article-title":"Modeling the registration efficiency of thermal neutrons by gadolinium foils","volume":"2","author":"Abdushukurov","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Instrum."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Berger, M.J., Coursey, J.S., Zucker, M.A., and Chang, J. (2017). Stopping-Power and Range Tables For Electrons, Protons, and Helium Ions."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1818","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nimb.2010.02.091","article-title":"SRIM-The stopping and range of ions in matter (2010)","volume":"268","author":"Ziegler","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. B Beam Interact. Mater. Atoms"},{"key":"ref_47","first-page":"6222","article-title":"PENELOPE-2006: A code system for Monte Carlo simulation of electron and photon transport","volume":"4","author":"Salvat","year":"2006","journal-title":"Work. Proc."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"(2020, October 27). Detail Information of NaB5H10O1; Catalyst Hub. Available online: http:\/\/www.catalysthub.net\/materials.php?id=1830324,2016."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chuirazzi, W., and Craft, A. (2020). Measuring Thickness-Dependent Relative Light Yield and Detection Efficiency of Scintillator Screens. J. Imaging, 6.","DOI":"10.3390\/jimaging6070056"},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"8","article-title":"ANTARES: Cold neutron radiography and tomography facility","volume":"1","author":"Schulz","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Large-Scale Res. Facil. JLSRF"},{"key":"ref_51","unstructured":"(2020, February 12). Andor, iKon-L Series iKon-L Series. Available online: https:\/\/andor.oxinst.com\/products\/ikon-xl-and-ikon-large-ccd-series\/ikon-l-936."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.21741\/9781644900574-22","article-title":"Epithermal Neutron Radiography and Tomography on Large and Strongly Scattering Samples","volume":"15","author":"Schillinger","year":"2020","journal-title":"Mater. Res. Proc."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152003","DOI":"10.1088\/0022-3727\/42\/15\/152003","article-title":"A new position-sensitive transmission detector for epithermal neutron imaging","volume":"42","author":"Schooneveld","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Phys. D Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"992","DOI":"10.1039\/c0ja00256a","article-title":"Imaging of cultural heritage objects using neutron resonances","volume":"26","author":"Cippo","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Anal. At. Spectrom."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/302408","article-title":"A Review of Neutron Scattering Applications to Nuclear Materials","volume":"2013","author":"Vogel","year":"2013","journal-title":"ISRN Mater. Sci."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.1007\/s11837-019-03849-2","article-title":"Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons","volume":"72","author":"Vogel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Jom"},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3272","DOI":"10.1109\/TNS.2012.2215627","article-title":"High resolution neutron resonance absorption imaging at a pulsed neutron beamline","volume":"59","author":"Tremsin","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nima.2015.09.008","article-title":"Spatially resolved remote measurement of temperature by neutron resonance absorption","volume":"803","author":"Tremsin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A Accel. Spectrometers Detect. Assoc. Equip."},{"key":"ref_59","unstructured":"Dangendorf, V., Laczko, G., and Kersten, C. (2003). Fast neutron resonance radiography in a pulsed neutron beam. arXiv."}],"container-title":["Journal of Imaging"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2313-433X\/6\/11\/124\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:34:14Z","timestamp":1760178854000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2313-433X\/6\/11\/124"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,19]]},"references-count":59,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,11]]}},"alternative-id":["jimaging6110124"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jimaging6110124","relation":{},"ISSN":["2313-433X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2313-433X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,19]]}}}