Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 Published: 28.11.2016 CONRAD-2: Cold Neutron Tomography and Radiography at BER II (V7) Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie * Instrument Scientists: - Dr. Nikolay Kardjilov, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie phone: +49 30 8062-42298, email: kardjilov@helmholtz-berlin.de - Dr. André Hilger, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie phone: +49 30 8062-42298, email: hilger@helmholtz-berlin.de - Dr. Ingo Manke, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie phone: +49 30 8062-42682, email: manke@helmholtz-berlin.de Abstract: V7 has widely been recognized as a versatile and �exible instrument for innovative neu- tron imaging and has made decisive contributions to the development of new methods by exploiting di�erent contrast mechanisms for imaging. The reason for the success in method development is the �exibility of the facility which permits very fast change of the instrument’s con�guration and allows for performing non-standard experiments. The ability for complementary experiments with the labo- ratory X-ray tomographic scanner (MicroCT Lab) o�ers the opportunity to study samples at di�erent contrast levels and spatial resolution scales. 1 Introduction V7 (CONRAD-2) is an imaging instrument using low energetic (cold) neutrons. The instrument is in- stalled at the end of a curved neutron guide which blocks the direct view on the reactor core. This re�ects in a very low background of high energetic neutrons and gammas. The cold neutron beam provides high attenuation contrast for thin layers of hydrogenous as well as lithium and boron based materials. In this way the visualization of small amounts of water, adhesive and lubricate substances in metal parts can be performed successfully. The wavelength range of the cold neutrons is suitable for phase- and di�raction-contrast imaging like grating interferometry and Bragg edge mapping. The instrument is well suited for high resolution imaging due to the high e�ciency of the very thin scin- tillators used for cold neutrons. *Cite article as: Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie. (2016). CONRAD-2: Cold Neutron Tomography and Radiography at BER II (V7). Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98. http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 1 http://jlsrf.org/ http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 Figure 1: View of V7. Flight path equipped with containers �lled with He gas for loss free transport of the neutron beam to the sample position (left). Sample position equipped with translation, tilt and rotation stages. The detector box with active area of 30 cm x 30 cm is behind the sample stage (right). 2 Instrument application Typical applications are: • Energy research (fuel cells and Li-ion batteries) • Materials research (hydrogen storage materials, phase transitions in metals and characterization of porous media) • Life science (water uptake in plants and water management in soils) • High-TC superconductivity (�ux pinning in superconductors) • Magnetism (visualization and analysis of domain networks and visualization of static and alter- nating magnetic �elds) • Cultural heritage and paleontology 3 Instrument layout Figure 2: Schematic view of V7. 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) 4 Technical Data Neutron Guide NL-1A (m=2,3) with beam cross- section: 125 mm (height) x 30 mm (width) Radius of curvature: 750 m Pinhole changer 1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm in diameter Flight path 10 m �ight path, covered by aluminum containers �lled with He Measuring positions Position 1 (end of the guide) Flux: 2.6·109 n/cm2s @ L/D ca. 70; beam size: 12x3 cm Position 2 Flux: 7.2·107 n/cm2s @ L/D 170; beam size: 15x15 cm Position 3 Flux: 2.4·107 n/cm2s @ L/D 350; beam size: 30x30 cm Flux: 1.1·107 n/cm2s @ L/D 500; beam size: 30x30 cm Double crystal monochromator Pyrolythic graphite (002) with mosaicity of 0.8° Wavelength resolution: 3 % Wavelength range: 1.5 Å– 6.0 Å Velocity selector Wavelength range: 3.0 Å– 6.0 Å Wavelength resolution: 10 – 20 % Polarizers 2x Solid-state benders 4x Polarised 3He cells and 2x magic boxes Detectors CCD camera (Andor, 2048 x 2048 pixels) sCMOS camera (Andor Neo) CMOS camera (PCO 1200h) Best spatial resolution 20 µm at �eld-of-view of 13x13 mm Sample manipulator Rotation table: 0-360° Translation table: 0-800 mm Lift table: 0-250 mm Maximum weight: 200 kg Table 1: Technical parameters of V7. 3 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 5 MicroCT Lab The Micro-CT Lab supports users of the neutron imaging instrument CONRAD-2 and gives the op- portunity to perform complementary measurements with X-ray imaging techniques. The micro-spot X-ray source produces a cone beam with energies up to 150 keV that allows for a variation of the mag- ni�cation ratio by adjusting the source-detector and source-sample distances. In this way, the �eld of view (up to 10 cm) and the spatial resolution (down to 5 µ m) are tunable. The short exposure times of a few seconds allow for fast preliminary image tests of samples which are dedicated for neutron tomography experiments. The Micro-CT Lab provides the following experimental methods: dynamic radiography, high-resolution tomography, phase-contrast imaging and laminography. Scienti�c topics at the laboratory are: Energy research (structural investigations of components of Li-ion and alkaline batteries as well as characterization of PEM fuel cell materials); life science (water uptake in plants by using contrast agent and investigation of soil contamination by heavy metals); biology (investigation of tooth substance and characterization of dental cements); geology (investigation of mineral morphol- ogy and crack propagation in rocks); cultural heritage and paleontology (in close collaboration with the local museums). Figure 3: Photo of the MicroCT scanner. The main components are labeled. 4 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) Parameters Micro focus X-ray tube Hamamatsu L8121-3 Voltage: 40 – 150 kV Current: 0-250 µA @ small spot 7 µ m 0-500 µA @ middle spot 20 µ m 0-500 µA @ large spot 50 µ m Detector Flat panel (Hamamatsu C7942SK-05) 2316 x 2316 pixels, pixel size: 50 µ m Size: 11.5 cm x 11.5 cm Magni�cation up to 10 times Best spatial resolution 10 µ m at �eld-of-view 10 mm x 10 mm Sample manipulator Rotation table: 0-360° Translation table (along the beam): 60-700 mm Translation table (transverse to the beam): 0-100 mm Maximum weight: 5 kg 6 3D Analytics Lab The 3D Analytics Laboratory supports users performing imaging experiments at the large scale fa- cilities at HZB. The laboratory is used for complex 2D and 3D analyses of tomographic experiments carried out at the neutron imaging instrument CONRAD-2, in the X-ray Tomography Lab (Micro-CT Lab) and at the synchrotron tomography instrument at BESSY. The 3D Analytics Laboratory consists of a cluster of powerful work stations equipped with state-of-art software for tomographic reconstruction and quantitative analysis of 3D data. In addition, innovative software developed in-house is provided to the users. The laboratory o�ers the following options: Tomographic reconstruction with innovative mathematical algorithms (parallel beam, cone beam, �ltered back projection, etc.); Holotomographic reconstruction algorithms (phase retrieval); Complex 3D image analysis procedures, labelling and in- dividual particle size and shape analysis; Euclidian distance transformations; Watershed analysis and many others. A wide area of scienti�c topics are covered: Energy research (e.g. quantitative analysis of particles in batteries, 3D structural analysis of di�usion layer materials employed in fuel cells and batteries); life science (holotomographic reconstruction of the cellular structure of plants and woods); biology (porosity determination of bone and tooth substance); geology (morphology analysis of min- erals); cultural heritage and paleontology (materials characterization). References Hautier, L., Weisbecker, V., Sánchez-Villagra, M. R., Goswami, A., & Asher, R. J. (2010). Skeletal devel- opment in sloths and the evolution of mammalian vertebral patterning. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 44(107), 18903-18908. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010335107 Kardjilov, N., Hilger, A., Manke, I., Strobl, M., Dawson, M., Williams, S., & Banhart, J. (2011). Neu- tron tomography instrument CONRAD at HZB. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Re- search Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 651(1), 47 - 52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2011.01.067 Kardjilov, N., Manke, I., Hilger, A., Strobl, M., & Banhart, J. (2011). Neutron imaging in materials science. Materials Today, 14(6), 248 - 256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(11)70139-0 5 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010335107 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2011.01.067 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(11)70139-0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A98 (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 Kardjilov, N., Manke, I., Strobl, M., Hilger, A., Treimer, W., Meissner, M., . . . Banhart, J. (2008). Three-dimensional imaging of magnetic �elds with polarized neutrons. Nature Physics, 4, 399-403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys912 Manke, I., Kardjilov, N., Schäfer, R., Hilger, A., Strobl, M., Dawson, M., . . . Banhart, J. (2010). Three-dimensional imaging of magnetic domains. Nature Communications, 1, 125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1125 Müller, J., Hipsley, J. J., Christy A.and Head, Kardjilov, N., Hilger, A., Wuttke, M., & Reisz, R. R. (2011). Eocene lizard from Germany reveals amphisbaenian origins. Nature, 473, 399-403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature09919 Schröder, A., Wippermann, K., Arlt, T., Sanders, T., Baumhöfer, T., Kardjilov, N., . . . Manke, I. (2013). In-plane neutron radiography for studying the in�uence of surface treatment and design of cathode �ow �elds in direct methanol fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 38(5), 2443 - 2454. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.098 Williams, S. H., Hilger, A., Kardjilov, N., Manke, I., Strobl, M., Douissard, P. A., . . . Banhart, J. (2012). Detection system for microimaging with neutrons. Journal of Instrumentation, 7(02), P02014. http://dx.doi.org/:10.1088/1748-0221/7/02/P02014 Witzmann, F., Claeson, K. M., Hampe, O., Wieder, F., Hilger, A., Manke, I., . . . Asbach, P. (2011). Paget disease of bone in a Jurassic dinosaur. Current Biology, 21, 399-403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.08.006 6 http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-108 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys912 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1125 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature09919 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.098 http://dx.doi.org/:10.1088/1748-0221/7/02/P02014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.08.006 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Introduction Instrument application Instrument layout Technical Data MicroCT Lab 3D Analytics Lab