Development of nondestructive investigation technology by using neutrons generated by laser driven photo nuclear reaction

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26246043
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Quantum beam science
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Nishimura Hiroak 大阪大学, レーザーエネルギー学研究センター, 教授 (60135754)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中井 光男 大阪大学, レーザーエネルギー学研究センタ, 教授 (70201663) ; 余語 覚文 大阪大学, レーザーエネルギー学研究センタ, 准教授 (50421441) ; 有川 安信 大阪大学, レーザーエネルギー学研究センタ, 講師 (90624255) ; 三間 圀興 光産業創成大学院大学, その他の研究科, その他 (30033921) ; 阪部 周二 京都大学, 化学研究所, 教授 (50153903) ; 大竹 淑恵 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, その他部局等, その他 (50216777)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 中性子ラジオグラフィー / レーザー駆動中性子 / 光核反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This is a feasibility study of neutron radiography using fast neutrons generated by photo-nuclear reaction occurring in laser-produced plasma. Neutron imager must have a function of temporal-discrimination (< 10 ns) to exclude useless images caused by bremsstrahlung from the plasma.
First, we tried to increase neutron yield by the use of a preformed plasma generated with a laser pre-pulse arriving in prior to the main drive pulse. LFEX laser (1 kJ/1 ps) at Osaka U. and T6 laser system (0.5 J/35 fs) at Kyoto U. were used to obtain an energy scaling of neutron yield. Missing date for the intermediate laser energies (i.e., from 10 to 100 J) will be successively obtained by the support of a new research grant.
Second, we developed a temporally-gated neutron imager. For this study, LINAC of Osaka U. was used. Photo-transfer efficiency from a scintillation panel to an ICCD camera was improved by a factor of 4, but further improvement is needed for practical application.

Free Research Field

レーザープラズマ工学