Speaker
Description
Detectors using neutron-sensitive Microchannel Plates (MCPs) with Timepix readouts have found niche applications in pulsed neutron sources, where the arrival position of each neutron and its energy are reconstructed with high accuracy. These detectors can localize each neutron with approximately 10 µm spatial resolution and very high timing precision—around 500 ns for thermal neutrons and 10 ns for epithermal neutrons. The detection efficiency of these devices for thermal and cold neutrons is approximately 50%.
In these detectors, neutrons are directly converted into a charge of approximately 10⁵ electrons, all confined within a ~10 µm pore, with no afterpulsing or readout noise. The Timepix readout ASIC is positioned directly beneath the MCP in vacuum, enabling pixelated detection of numerous simultaneous events, thereby significantly increasing the count rate capability to GHz levels.
This talk will review the current state of this detection technology, which is primarily used for energy-resolved neutron imaging at this time, and will present experimental results across various applications, including residual strain mapping, texture analysis, in-situ crystal growth optimization, annealing, and time-resolved imaging of dynamic processes. Additionally, we will discuss upcoming advancements enabled by the latest generation of Timepix4 readouts, highlighting how MCP/Timepix detectors offer a compelling solution for applications requiring neutron counting with high spatial and temporal resolution.
