Interferometry is a family of techniques in which waves are superimposed and cause a phenomenon of interference, which is used to extract information. Neutrons show dual particle and wave nature. They can be described as wave packets and show interference effects like X-rays and visible light. The primary focus of this project is to analyze and maximize the neutron interferometric beamline performances with simulations and experiments. The research team will also establish biomedical applications, which include non-invasive imaging of a bone-implant interface, to facilitate the manufacture of hip replacement implants. Within this project, the PI aims to build a novel comprehensive simulator allowing scatter and phase-shift of neutrons, suitable for realistic neutron interferometry and verified with experiments. The PI and a graduate trainee will perform simulations and experiments on Neutron Interferometry Imaging at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research (NCNR). First, a comprehensive computer simulator of neutron interferometry will be built by describing the neutron as a particle and a wave and verified. Second, special phase gratings will be investigated in simulations to improve Neutron Interferometric Tomography (NIT) performance. Third, a bone-metal interface will be imaged using NIT. This project will establish a strong neutron interferometric imaging program at Louisiana State University (LSU). This project seeks to aid researchers from multiple disciplines (neutron imaging scientists and non-destructive testing application specialists) and is synergistic with Louisiana Consortium on Neutron Scattering and LSU Medical Physics. It will establish a new research program for the PI and generate project software that will be disseminated on Github. The future projects generated by this fellowship and collaboration with NIST will train undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs at LSU.
A combined Monte-Carlo and coherent wave simulation exist for X-ray interferometry but not for neutron interferometry. The primary focus of this project is to analyze and maximize the neutron interferometric far-field imaging beamline performances with simulations and experiments. The research team will also establish biomedical applications such as non-invasive ex-vivo test-imaging of a bone-implant interface, to facilitate the manufacture of hip replacement implants. Simulations and experiments on Neutron Interferometry Imaging will be conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research (NCNR). First, a novel, comprehensive computer simulator will be built to describe the neutron as a particle, as well as a wave, and verified. The simulator will include Monte-Carlo based neutron scattering, coherent wave interference, and vibration effects. The simulations will be experimentally verified using dual-phase gratings existing in the system and other high-quality neutron phase gratings that are available on loan from Louisiana State University (LSU). The simulator will predict the far-field visibility and differential phase contrast (DPC) sensitivity at the NIST beamline as well as for two beamlines at Oakridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This objective advances the ORNL neutron imaging and scattering research, in synergy with the goals of the Louisiana Consortium of Neutron Scattering. Second, the conditions for ideal DPC imaging will be investigated in simulations. Special modulated phase gratings (MPG) will be evaluated to improve Neutron Interferometric Tomography (NIT) performance. DPC sensitivity will be investigated as a function of grating pitch or pitches and spatial modulation of MPG. Third, novel experiments will be conducted to observe a bone-metal interface ex-vivo with NIT at NIST.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
