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AISTANS, which is optimized for the Bragg-edge imaging, has been utilized for industrial applications. A second beamline was recently constructed and is under preparation for neutron analysis use. The power of the electron beam, which is used for neutron production at a tantalum target, is currently approximately 1 kW and it is planned to be increased. At AISTANS, various sizes of automobile parts have been analysed non-destructively by neutron radiography, computed tomography, and the Bragg-edge method. Recently, other industrial applications such as analysis of lithium-ion batteries using Bragg-edge spectroscopy have been performed. The neutron diffraction method using a newly developed diffractometer is combined for the Bragg-edge analysis.

We have constructed a compact accelerator-based neutron facility at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan aiming at development of structural materials of transportation vehicles for weight reduction. The facility consists of electron linear accelerator, neutron source, and a neutron beamline with a measurement hutch. Currently we are commissioning the accelerator and expecting a first neutron beam in 2019.

The neutron capture cross-section for platinum was measured at J-PARC/MLF/ANNRI. The intense pulsed neutron beam was impinging on a natural platinum foil sample and the emitted prompt γ-rays were detected by a Ge spectrometer. The peak energies of the low energy resonances for natural platinum are consistent with those of the JEFF-3.1.2, RUSFOND2010 and next-JENDL data libraries except for the 20-eV resonance. The resonance cross-sections of the next-JENDL library do not contradict the present measurements within the uncertainty of the absolute value of the present work. We analysed the prompt γ-ray spectrum and found a clear 7921.93 keV peak that originates from the transition from the 196Pt compound state to its ground state. The neutron capture cross-section for 195Pt was obtained by choosing events of this peak. The peak energies of most of the low energy resonances are almost consistent with those of the RUSFOND2010 and next-JENDL libraries. However, there was a disagreement for the 20-eV resonance.

The neutron capture cross section of 99Tc was measured using NaI(Tl) detectors of the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument (ANNRI) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) in the energy range from thermal to the keV energy region. Preliminary results were presented and compared with previous measurements and evaluations.

In order to analyze the experimental data measured by the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument (ANNRI) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex/Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (J-PARC/MLF), it is necessary to take into account the double-bunch structure of the neutron pulse and the energy resolution function for the operational condition of the J-PARC/MLF. The modified REFIT code has been developed to treat the double-bunch neutron pulse and the energy resolution function for J-PARC/MLF. In this study, we applied the modified REFIT code to analyze the new data of the neutron capture cross section of 155Gd and 157Gd recently measured by ANNRI in the J-PARC/MLF, and obtained the resonance parameters of two Gd isotopes. We discussed the differences between the our obtained results and the other libraries.

The neutron wavelength resolution, Bragg-edge measurement ability and future prospects regarding the neutron count rate were investigated at AISTANS. The wavelength resolution evaluated by Bragg-edge analysis using an iron powder sample is in reasonably good agreement with calculations at neutron wavelengths of 0.2–0.3 nm. Bragg-edge imaging was also performed on a steel plate sample with distinct regions of BCC and FCC crystallinity, and the different crystal structures were successfully discriminated. In addition, an aluminum sample containing a friction stir spot welding region was also measured and the 200 and 111 Bragg-edges at the two joining areas were observed. However, it was hard to characterize the difference in texture between the two areas. The neutron counting rate for Bragg-edge imaging is expected to increase by approximately a factor 50 in the near future thanks to the planned improvements of the electron beam power and the detection efficiency of the neutron detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neutron capture cross section measurement on 91Zr was performed at neutron TOF beam line ANNRI installed at J-PARC/MLF. Prompt capture gamma rays from the sample were detected with an array of large Ge detectors at a distance of 21.5 m from the spallation neutron source by the time-of-fligh (TOF) method. The neutron capture gamma-ray pulse-height spectra from the 182-eV p-wave resonance and the 292-eV s-wave resonance were obtained by gating on the TOF regions, respectively. Though the decay patterns of primary transitions from the capture state were quite different between resonances, the prominent characteristics common to both resonances was the very strong ground-state transition from the 935-keV state. Therefore, a ground-state transition method was applied to obtain the capture yield, so that the background components due to impurities were successfully eliminated. The preliminary result of the neutron capture cross section for 91Zr up to 5 keV is presented.