Skip to main content
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)
Suche
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)

Hauptnavigation

  • Labs & User ServicesOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Research at PSI
    • Research Divisions and Labs
    • Facilities and Instruments
    • Research Initiatives
    • PSI User Labs
    • Scientific Highlights
    • Scientific Events
    • Scientific Career
    • Useroffice
  • VisitorsOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Contact
    • How to find us
    • Public Events
    • Visitor Centre psi forum
    • Schülerlabor iLab
    • Center for Proton Therapy
  • IndustryOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Technology Transfer
    • Spin-off Companies
    • PARK innovAARE
  • Our ResearchOpen mainmenu item
    • Current topics from our research
    • Matter and Material
    • Human Health
    • Energy and Environment
    • Large Research Facilities
    • Brochures
    • Films
    • Media Corner
  • Career & Further EducationOpen mainmenu item
    • Job Opportunities
    • Personnel Policy
    • Working at PSI
    • Equal Opportunities, Diversity & Inclusion
    • Training and Further Education
    • Vocational Training
    • PSI Education Centre
    • Support Program "PSI Career Return Program"
    • PSI-FELLOW/COFUND
  • About PSIOpen mainmenu item
    • PSI in brief
    • Strategy
    • Guiding principles
    • Facts and figures
    • Organisational structure
    • Suppliers and customers
    • Customers E-Billing
    • IT and Computing
    • Safety at PSI (in German)

You are here:

  1. PSI Home
  2. Labs & User Services
  3. NUM
  4. LNS
  5. NIAG
  6. What is Neutron Imaging ?

Secondary navigation

Neutron Imaging and Applied Materials

  • People
  • What is Neutron Imaging ? Expanded submenu item
    • Neutron Imaging Setup
    • Neutron Physics
      • Neutron Interaction with Matter
      • Comparison to X-ray
    • Neutron Imaging Techniques and Methods
      • Neutron Imaging Detectors
      • Neutron Tomography
      • Dynamic Neutron Imaging
      • Advanced Neutron Imaging Techniques
  • Beamlines
  • Research and Development
  • Industrial Services
  • Gallery
    • Movies
    • Bronze Sculptures
  • Publications
  • News / Events
    • News Archive
  • Links

What is Neutron Imaging ?

Figure 1: Radiograph of an analog camera: by neutrons (top) by X-rays (bottom). While X-rays are attenuated more effectively by heavier materials like metals, neutrons make it possible to image some light materials such as hydrogenous substances with high contrast: in the X-ray image, the metal parts of the photo apparatus are seen clearly, while the neutron radiograph shows details of the plastic parts.
Figure 1: Radiograph of an analog camera: by neutrons (top) by X-rays (bottom). While X-rays are attenuated more effectively by heavier materials like metals, neutrons make it possible to image some light materials such as hydrogenous substances with high contrast: in the X-ray image, the metal parts of the photo apparatus are seen clearly, while the neutron radiograph shows details of the plastic parts.
Neutron Imaging (NI) is a radiographic testing method using neutrons. As such it is quite similar to X-ray, which is well known from medical applications. Neutrons are able to transmit material layers of certain thickness which depends on the specific attenuation properties of that material. This enables to establish neutron imaging as a non-destructive inspection method which can favorably be applied for research and practical, industrial related problems. A similarity and complementarities to the conventional X-ray imaging are given. Because different materials have different attenuation behaviour the neutron beam passing through a sample can be interpreted as signal carrying information about the composition and structure of the sample.

Learn more about neutron imaging from the PSI Neutron Imaging Brochure or from the sections:
  • Neutron Imaging Setup
  • Neutron Physics
  • Neutron Imaging Techniques and Methods.

Sidebar

Neutron Imaging Brochure

NI Brochure

Download Flyer

Contact

Applied Materials Group
Paul Scherrer Institut
LNS WBBA/118
5232 Villigen PSI

Prof. Dr. Markus Strobl
Group leader

Phone: +41 56 310 5941
E-mail: markus.strobl@psi.ch

Secretary: R. Bercher
Phone: +41 56 310 3402
Fax: +41 56 310 3131
E-mail: renate.bercher@psi.ch
 

Additional Information

  • Research with neutrons, synchrotron light and muons
    More about the most important tools in PSI's research on the structure of matter.
  • Research with PSI's large-scale facilities
    The institute's main experimental facilities
top

Footer

Paul Scherrer Institut

Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
How to find us

Imprint
Terms and Conditions

Login

Telephone: +41 56 310 21 11
Telefax: +41 56 310 21 99
Contact form

Visitor Centre psi forum
School Lab iLab (in German)
Center for Proton Therapy

Follow us: Twitter (in English) LinkedIn Youtube Issuu RSS

Quicklinks

  • Phone Book/People Search
  • Digital User Office
  • Technology transfer
  • PSI Publications
  • Computing
  • Safety (in German)
  • Job Opportunities
  • Vocational Training (in German)
  • Suppliers
  • Customers E-Billing
  • PSI Guest House
  • PSI Gastronomie (in German)

For the media

  • Media Contact
  • Media Releases
  • Social Media Newsroom
  • Facts and Figures
  • PSI in brief
  • Films
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR