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2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

Operating principle of the superconducting neutron detector

Research Project

Project/Area Number 21K14566
Research InstitutionOsaka Prefecture University

Principal Investigator

VU THEDANG  大阪府立大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 特認助教 (60826121)

Project Period (FY) 2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
KeywordsCB-KID / Neutron detector / Neutron image / Bragg-edges / Bragg-dips / Detection efficiency / Fast neutron
Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In earlier our finding, the event intensity of neutron detections increased remarkably as a function of operating temperature using a superconducting Nb-meanderline detector with a boron-10 conversion layer [1]. As a target of this project, we achieved the improvement of the detection efficiency at 1 meV from 0.7 % to 3 % by increasing temperature from 4K to 8.2K and increased from 0.9 % to 2.7% when increased thickness of Boron layer from 70nm to 220 nm at an operating temperature of 7.9K.
This fiscal year, we demonstrated that our detector can be used to investigate the Bragg-edge studies of materials even for a very narrow sample area [2] and observations of nuclear resonance dips were conducted even at epi-thermal neutron energies [3]. We attempted to build a new cryostat with a concaved window to be used for measurements, where test samples at room temperature can be placed at a close distance from a cryogenic detector. This was successful in measuring transmission imaging with room-temperature test samples, and could be used for various measurements in the next fiscal year.
1. T. D. Vu, et al., Kinetic inductance neutron detector operated at near critical temperature, Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1590 (2020) 012036.
2. T D. Vu, et al., Narrow-area Bragg-edge transmission of iron samples using superconducting neutron sensor, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, in press.
3. H. Shishido, T. D. Vu (2/15), et al., Neutron imaging toward epithermal regime using a delay line current-biased kinetic-inductance detector, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, in press.

Current Status of Research Progress
Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

Our project has been processed rather smoothly.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

The event position in the meanderline is determined by identifying a signal-source segment, but it takes 200 ps for an electromagnetic-wave signal to transverse through a single segment. We plan to improve a temporal resolution of the readout circuit (named as the Kalliope-DC circuit) to 30 ps, which is much better than a current temporal resolution of 1 ns. Therefore, it would further improve a spatial resolution of our superconducting imaging sensor.
It is a primitive idea that the detection efficiency is mainly specified by the spatial covering fraction of the superconducting Nb meanderlines in the sensitive area because it has a space between superconducting segments. It is necessary to know how large a size of hot spot is in the meanderlines. The hot-spot size is determined by a superconducting property as well as local heat conduction, and is dependent on an operating temperature. A detection efficiency can be improved when a hot spot size is larger than a period of the superconducting segments. A detection efficiency as a function of operating temperature would be a clue to understand the operating principle of our superconducting neutron detector.
Our device is fabricated using a superconductive foundry of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). We plan to optimize a fabrication process to minimize possible defects in meanderlines because defects of neutron detector may give artifact patterns in the neutron transmission images due to scattering of transmission signals in superconducting delay lines.

Causes of Carryover

We are going to buy a new PC for new Kalliope with Ubuntu os, a Function Generator for testing kalliope system.
Cost for fabricating new neutron detector and upgrade Kalliope board; Buy some electronics parts (connectors, HDDs, cables, etc).
Travel fee (Osaka=Tokai) for preparing samples and discussing with colleagues; ISS2022 Conference fee; ASC 2022 6 days, USA; publication fees

  • Research Products

    (5 results)

All 2022 2021

All Journal Article (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 3 results,  Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Open Access: 2 results) Presentation (2 results)

  • [Journal Article] Narrow-area Bragg-edge transmission of iron samples using superconducting neutron sensor2022

    • Author(s)
      The Dang Vu, Hiroaki Shishido, Kazuya Aizawa, Takayuki Oku, Kenichi Oikawa, Masahide Harada, Kenji M. Kojima, Shigeyuki Miyajima, Kazuhiko Soyama, Tomio Koyama, Mutsuo Hidaka, Soh Y. Suzuki, Manobu M. Tanaka, Alex Malins, Masahiko Machida and Takekazu Ishida
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Physics: Conference Series

      Volume: - Pages: -

    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Neutron Imaging toward Epithermal Regime using a Delay Line Current-Biased Kinetic-Inductance Detector2022

    • Author(s)
      Hiroaki Shishido , The Dang Vu , Kazuya Aizawa , Kenji M. Kojima , Tomio Koyama, Kenichi Oikawa , Masahide Harada , Takayuki Oku, Kazuhiko Soyama, Shigeyuki Miyajima, Mutsuo Hidaka , Soh Y. Suzuki, Manobu M. Tanaka, Shuichi Kawamata and Takekazu Ishida
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Physics: Conference Series

      Volume: - Pages: -

    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] High Spatial Resolution Neutron Transmission Imaging Using a Superconducting Two-Dimensional Detector2021

    • Author(s)
      Shishido Hiroaki、Nishimura Kazuma、Vu The Dang、Aizawa Kazuya、Kojima Kenji M.、Koyama Tomio、Oikawa Kenichi、Harada Masahide、Oku Takayuki、Soyama Kazuhiko、Miyajima Shigeyuki、Hidaka Mutsuo、Suzuki Soh Y.、Tanaka Manobu M.、Kawamata Shuichi、Ishida Takekazu
    • Journal Title

      IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

      Volume: 31 Pages: 1~5

    • DOI

      10.1109/TASC.2021.3111396

    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Narrow-area Bragg-edge transmission of iron samples using superconducting neutron sensor2021

    • Author(s)
      The Dang Vu
    • Organizer
      The 34th International Symposium on Superconductivity (ISS2021)
  • [Presentation] Neutron Imaging toward Epithermal Regime using a Delay Line Current-Biased Kinetic-Inductance Detector2021

    • Author(s)
      Hiroaki Shishido
    • Organizer
      The 34th International Symposium on Superconductivity (ISS2021)

URL: 

Published: 2022-12-28  

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