Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 1808.03226

Non-destructive structural imaging of steelwork with atomic magnetometers

Patrick Bevington·Rafal Gartman·Witold Chalupczak·Cameron Deans·Luca Marmugi·Ferruccio Renzoni
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We demonstrate the imaging of ferromagnetic carbon steel samples and we detect the thinning of their profile with a sensitivity of 0.1 mm using a Cs radio-frequency atomic magnetometer. Images are obtained at room temperature, in magnetically unscreened environments. By using a dedicated arrangement of the setup and active compensation of background fields, the magnetic disturbance created by the samples' magnetization is compensated. Proof-of-concept demonstrations of non-destructive structural evaluation in the presence of concealing conductive barriers are also provided. The relevant impact for steelwork inspection and health and usage monitoring without disruption of operation is envisaged, with direct benefit for industry, from welding in construction to pipeline inspection and corrosion under insulation in the energy sector.

Explore related subjects

physics.ins-detphysics.atom-ph

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Patrick Bevington, Rafal Gartman, Witold Chalupczak, Cameron Deans, Luca Marmugi, Ferruccio Renzoni. 2018-08-09. Non-destructive structural imaging of steelwork with atomic magnetometers. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5042033

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

True Alternating Current Scanning Tunneling Microscope (ACSTM): tunneling on insulators

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) has revolutionized our atomic scale understanding of surfaces and accelerated progress in nanotechnology. This technique, however, is restricted to metal or semiconducting samples, as it requires a tiny current to stabilize the tip-sample distance with atomic scale precision. We developed a new imaging and feedback method that relies on true alternating current (AC) without any direct current (DC) component. This technique does not only enable the imaging on non-conducting surfaces with atomic step resolution, like (thin) glass and oxides, it provides also access to high-frequency electronic signal coming from the sample. We demonstrate that it is possible to measure on 25nm thick silicon oxide with 10 MHz tunneling current.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2026

Charged-particle topology reconstruction with an in-liquid SiPM array

Liquid scintillator detectors instrumented with photosensors inside the scintillation volume preserve local optical information that is largely lost in conventional boundary-readout geometries. We demonstrate that this information is sufficient for charged-particle topology reconstruction using a sparse three-dimensional lattice of silicon photomultipliers. After validating the Geant4 detector response against measured photon-count distributions, a simulation-trained, time-informed convolutional neural network reconstructs the entry and exit points of through-going muons with median residuals of 1.91~cm and 2.39~cm, respectively. The reconstructed endpoints are geometrically consistent with acceptance regions defined by external trigger counters in cosmic-ray muon data. The same framework also reconstructs the production vertices of simulated positron starting-track events with a median residual of about 4.5~cm. These results establish the feasibility of topology-sensitive reconstruction using sparse in-liquid photosensor arrays in homogeneous liquid scintillator detectors.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2026

Characterization of immersed SiPM arrays in liquid scintillator between room temperature and $-30\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$

Liquid scintillator detectors instrumented with distributed silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays can be used in compact, topology-sensitive, and low-background experiments, but the temperature dependence of SiPMs immersed directly in the scintillation medium has not been widely characterized. We report the operation of a 125-liter linear-alkylbenzene-based liquid scintillator detector read out by 125 SiPM channels immersed in the active volume, over the range from room temperature to $-30\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$. The detector response was measured with cosmic-ray muons, including stopping muons followed by their Michel-electron decay. Cooling from $+15\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ to $-30\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ reduced the SiPM dark-count rate by a factor of 13.5, increased the single-photoelectron response by 49.1%, and increased the cosmic-ray muon light yield by 16.7%. The improved photoelectron separation and baseline stability at low temperature enabled a selection of stopping-muon events, from which the effective muon lifetime was measured to be $1959\pm132\,\mathrm{ns}$, consistent with the value expected for a hydrocarbon scintillator once $μ^{-}$ capture on carbon is taken into account.

physics.ins-det↗