Germany – Instruments for checking physical characteristics – V391 Imaging u. Diff. Detector System

Within the framework of a research project, a mobile measurement setup for combined neutron diffraction and neutron imaging, for application in solid-state battery research, is to be installed at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble. For this measurement setup, a neutron detector and a chopper system, including software and workstation for imaging, must be procured. The following outlines the necessary requirements and resulting device specifications. The following is tendered:

1. Detector for neutron imaging

• Optical resolution - The detector must achieve a resolution of at least 1M pixels, or an effective pixel size of 20μm x 20μm for an active area of 20 mm x 20 mm. This value can be achieved through super-resolution. The sensor must have at least 256x256 physical pixels.

• Replaceable scintillator - The detector will potentially be used at various beamlines, so the scintillator must be replaceable to optimize either efficiency or spatial resolution. The supplied scintillators must achieve at least 50% efficiency at 4Å, with a spatial resolution of at least 30μm (or 60μm line pairs at 10% modulation transfer function).

• Portability - The final system must be portable so that measurements can be taken at various institutes, and easy assembly and disassembly must be ensured. The detector, when assembled, must not weigh more than 30 kg, be shock-resistant, and transportable in a case provided for this purpose.

• Camera system requirements - To achieve flexibility and a compact, lightweight design, the readout should be via a camera that counts individual light quanta. Examples of this are Timpix3-based cameras (Telesto by ASI) or event cameras from Prohesee, coupled with MCP image intensifiers. The camera must meet the following criteria:

- At least 15% quantum efficiency (on average) for wavelengths of 400nm – 550nm.

- Sensitivity to individual light quanta, e.g. MCP image intensifiers in chevron configuration.

- Sensor size of a maximum of 30 mm x 30 mm for the use of commercially available lenses.

- The camera has a C-mount or M-mount connection for commercial lenses.

- A continuous pixel event rate in list mode format of at least 40 MHz must be achievable.

- The pixel readout/dead time must not exceed 1 μs.

- For easy integration, the camera must transmit data via an Ethernet interface.

- Data packets must be temporally adjustable from 0.1s to 10s per data packet.

- Continuous data recording without data gaps.

- Recording of external trigger signals for synchronization with at least 1 μs time resolution for time-of-flight neutron applications.

- Timestamping of individual pixels with at least 1 μs time resolution.

2. Neutron chopper system

- Fermi chopper system up to 20Hz rotation frequency.

- 3D-printed BPE multi-channel chopper insert.

- BPE insert with 100 mm diameter and a multi-channel structure of 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm channels over an area of 30 mm x 30 mm.

- Energy resolution of at least 10% at 4Å and a flight path of 10 m.

- Motor and control unit included.

3. Server and software

- Operating system support: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

- Automated data reduction that can be externally controlled and provides neutron events in list mode as well as in Tiff stacks for monochromatic and time-of-flight neutron measurements.

- Parameter settings:

o Pulse-shape discrimination for neutron/gamma

o Pulse-height discrimination for neutron/gamma

o Adjustability of parameters for various scintillators: optimizations for location or time resolution and trigger efficiency must be possible in order to be able to adapt the system when changing the scintillator.

- Software updates (update, bug fixing, performance improvement of a version) free of charge at least within the warranty period

- Software upgrades (extension, new functions, possibly new structure) free of charge at least within the warranty period

- Customer-side control/programming of the camera/data packets

4. Scope of delivery

- Documentation: Software manuals and 3D models of the camera in STEP format

- Operating instructions (English)