Optimisation of lithium borate–barium chloride glass-ceramic thermal neutron imaging plates

Glass-ceramic thermal neutron imaging plates (NIPs) recently reported have been further developed for use in neutron radiography. The plate consists of nanocrystallites of the storage phosphor BaCl2:Eu2+ embedded within a neutron-sensitive lithium borate glass-matrix. A new generation of samples, enriched with both 10B and 6Li with thicknesses in the range 280–500 μm have been studied. Neutron images were read out using a Fuji BAS2500 imaging plate scanner and the quality of the images obtained was comparable to those recorded on a commercial NIP. Details of the response to neutron-irradiation as well as the obtained spatial resolution of the images are presented. The neutron absorption and radiation hardness of the materials studied is also measured.