Polychromatic neutron phase-contrast imaging of weakly absorbing samples enabled by phase retrieval

Maja Østergaard, Estrid Buhl Naver, Anders Kaestner, Peter K. Willendrup, Annemarie Brüel, Henning Osholm Sørensen, Jesper Skovhus Thomsen, Søren Schmidt, Henning Friis Poulsen, Luise Theil Kuhn*, Henrik Birkedal*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

The use of a phase-retrieval technique for propagation-based phase-contrast neutron imaging with a polychromatic beam is demonstrated. This enables imaging of samples with low absorption contrast and/or improving the signal-to-noise ratio to facilitate e.g. time-resolved measurements. A metal sample, designed to be close to a phase pure object, and a bone sample with canals partially filled with D2O were used for demonstrating the technique. These samples were imaged with a polychromatic neutron beam followed by phase retrieval. For both samples the signal-to-noise ratios were significantly improved and, in the case of the bone sample, the phase retrieval allowed for separation of bone and D2O, which is important for example for in situ flow experiments. The use of deuteration contrast avoids the use of chemical contrast enhancement and makes neutron imaging an interesting complementary method to X-ray imaging of bone.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Applied Crystallography
Volume56
Issue numberPt 3
Pages (from-to)673-682
Number of pages10
ISSN0021-8898
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Phase-contrast imaging
  • Neutron imaging
  • Bone
  • Tomography
  • Phase retrieval
  • Polychromatic neutrons

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