Nondestructive technique for identifying nuclides using neutron resonance transmission analysis at CSNS Back-n

Nondestructive and noninvasive neutron assays are essential applications of neutron techniques. Neutron resonance transmission analysis (NRTA) is a powerful nondestructive method for investigating the elemental composition of an object. The back-streaming neutron line (Back-n) is a newly built time-of-flight facility at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) that provides neutrons in the eV to 300 MeV range. A feasibility study of the NRTA method for nuclide identification was conducted at the CSNS Back-n via two test experiments. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to identify different elements and isotopes in samples using the NRTA method at Back-n. This study reveals its potential future applications.