The First Application of a Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce Single-Crystal Scintillator to Neutron Radiography

Neutron radiography is regarded as complementary to X-ray radiography in terms of transmittance through materials, but its spatial resolution is still insufficient. In order to achieve higher resolution in neutron imaging, several approaches have been adopted, such as optical magnification and event centroiding. In this paper, the authors focused on modification of the scintillator. A Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce single-crystal scintillator was applied to neutron radiography for the first time and a spatial resolution of 10.5 μm was achieved. The results indicate that this material can be a powerful candidate for a new neutron scintillator providing a resolution in micrometer order by optimizing the optical system and increasing the scintillator luminosity.

Search for Double Beta Decay of 106Cd with an Enriched 106CdWO4 Crystal Scintillator in Coincidence with CdWO4 Scintillation Counters

Studies on double beta decay processes in 106Cd were performed by using a cadmium tungstate scintillator enriched in 106Cd at 66% (106CdWO4) with two CdWO4 scintillation counters (with natural Cd composition). No effect was observed in the data that accumulated over 26,033 h. New improved half-life limits were set on the different channels and modes of the 106Cd double beta decay at level of limT1/2∼1020−1022 yr. The limit for the two neutrino electron capture with positron emission in 106Cd to the ground state of 106Pd, T1/22νECβ+≥2.1×1021 yr, was set by the analysis of the 106CdWO4 data in coincidence with the energy release 511 keV in both CdWO4 counters. The sensitivity approaches the theoretical predictions for the decay half-life that are in the range T1/2∼1021−1022 yr. The resonant neutrinoless double-electron capture to the 2718 keV excited state of 106Pd is restricted at the level of T1/20ν2K≥2.9×1021 yr.