ABSTRACT
The first successful operation of a neutron interferometer with a separate beam-recombining crystal is reported. This result was achieved at the neutron interferometry setup S18 at the ILL in Grenoble by a collaboration between TU Wien, ILL, Grenoble, and INRIM, Torino. While previous interferometers have been machined out of a single-crystal block, in this work two crystals were successfully aligned on nanoradian and picometre scales, as required to obtain neutron interference. As a decisive proof-of-principle demonstration, this opens the door to a new generation of neutron interferometers and exciting applications.
Subject(s)
Health Maintenance Organizations/organization & administration , Physician Assistants/statistics & numerical data , Wounds and Injuries/therapy , Consumer Behavior , Cost Savings/statistics & numerical data , Health Maintenance Organizations/economics , Humans , Massachusetts , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/economics , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/organization & administration , Physician Assistants/economics , Program Development/methods , Sutures/economics , WorkforceABSTRACT
The work presented is part of a design study for a Positron Emission Tomograph (PET) scanner based on the use of BaF2 scintillator and photosensitive wire chambers. The detection efficiency for gamma radiation of 511 keV is found close to 100% for a sufficiently large crystal. For a matrix of small and elongated crystals as one would use in a PET scanner (5 x 5 x 50 mm3) we obtained 6 photoelectrons per 511 keV deposited. The following variants and alternatives were also studied: operation of the wire chamber at atmospheric pressure; double readout where the crystals are read on one side with a photomultiplier to give time and energy resolution, and on the other side with a wire chamber to localise the event; and Csl photocathodes. Encouraging results have been obtained for each of these, but particularly the Csl photocathodes look very promising.
