Development of a non-destructive elemental analysis method for sub-percent components using muon-induced gamma-rays

Abstract A new non-destructive elemental analysis method using muon-induced gamma-rays was developed to quantify sub-percent components in bulk materials, including light elements. Pulsed muon beam irradiation experiments for iron reference samples containing varying silicon concentrations were conducted to demonstrate the method. Characteristic muonic X-rays and gamma-rays emitted from unstable nuclides generated by muon nuclear absorption were measured using germanium detectors during the beam irradiation. By measuring gamma-rays derived from silicon, we successfully quantified the silicon at a concentration of 0.36 wt.% in the bulk iron sample, which is difficult to detect using conventional muon elemental analysis based solely on X-rays.