title: Neutron, fluorescence, and optical imaging: An in situ combination of complementary techniques.
abstract: An apparatus which enables the simultaneous combination of three complementary imaging techniques, optical imaging, fluorescence imaging, and neutron radiography, is presented. While each individual technique can provide information on certain aspects of the sample and their time evolution, a combination of the three techniques in one setup provides a more complete and consistent data set. The setup can be used in transmission and reflection modes and thus with optically transparent as well as opaque samples. Its capabilities are illustrated with two examples. A polymer hydrogel represents a transparent sample and the diffusion of fluorescent particles into and through this polymer matrix is followed. In reflection mode, the absorption of solvent by a nile red-functionalized mesoporous silica powder and the corresponding change in fluorescent signal are studied.
authors.affiliation: Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Börgardts
authors.affiliation: Neutron Imaging and Activation Group, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grünzweig
authors.affiliation: Neutron Imaging and Activation Group, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: T J J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: S U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Egelhaaf
authors.affiliation: Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Hermes