Analysis of a neutron-induced conversion electron spectrum of gadolinium.

A 100-nm-thick gadolinium layer deposited on a pixelated silicon sensor was activated in a neutron field to measure the internal conversion electron (ICE) spectrum generated by neutron capture products of Gd and Gd. The experiment was performed at the ISIS neutron and muon facility, using a bespoke version of the HEXITEC spectroscopic imaging camera. Signals originating from internal conversion electrons, Auger electrons, x rays and gamma rays up to 150 keV were identified.

Evaluating the Protectiveness of a Bioavailability-Based Environmental Quality Standard for the Protection of Aquatic Communities from Zinc Toxicity Based on Field Evidence.

Environmental quality standards (EQS) are typically derived from the results of laboratory studies on single species. There is always uncertainty surrounding the protectiveness of an EQS when applied to real ecosystems containing a multitude of chemical and physical stressors. Quantile regression was used with field biological data on invertebrates in United Kingdom waters to identify taxa that are responsive to bioavailable zinc exposures.

3D Correlative Imaging of Lithium Ion Concentration in a Vertically Oriented Electrode Microstructure with a Density Gradient.

The performance of Li ion batteries (LIBs) is hindered by steep Li ion concentration gradients in the electrodes. Although thick electrodes (≥300 µm) have the potential for reducing the proportion of inactive components inside LIBs and increasing battery energy density, the Li ion concentration gradient problem is exacerbated. Most understanding of Li ion diffusion in the electrodes is based on computational modeling because of the low atomic number (Z) of Li.

X-Ray Ptychography with a Laboratory Source.

X-ray ptychography has revolutionized nanoscale phase contrast imaging at large-scale synchrotron sources in recent years. We present here the first successful demonstration of the technique in a small-scale laboratory setting. An experiment was conducted with a liquid metal-jet x-ray source and a single photon-counting detector with a high spectral resolution.

The Spectral X-ray Imaging Data Acquisition (SpeXIDAQ) Framework.

Photon counting X-ray imagers have found their way into the mainstream scientific community in recent years, and have become important components in many scientific setups. These camera systems are in active development, with output data rates increasing significantly with every new generation of devices. A different class of PCD (Photon Counting Detector) devices has become generally available, where camera data output is no longer a matrix of photon counts but instead direct measurements of the deposited charge per pixel in every frame, which requires significant off-camera processing.