Nondestructive inspection system using nuclear resonance fluorescence

A nondestructive inspection system comprising:

• a plate that holds a sample;
• a plurality of radiation detectors positioned in predetermined directions relative to the sample held by the plate;
• a photon beam irradiation part that irradiates the sample held by the plate with a plurality of types of quasi-monochromatic photon beams having differing energies and whose planes of polarization are each controlled, the quasi-monochromatic photon beams being made to be coaxial;
• a drive part that relatively moves the plate and the photon beam irradiation part;
• a control processing part that controls the drive part and to which detection signals from the plurality of radiation detectors are inputted;
• and
• a display part;
• wherein the plurality of radiation detectors are positioned in directions that allow for detection of nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) gamma rays emitted from an isotope within the sample in emission directions that are dependent on the planes of polarization of the plurality of types of quasi-monochromatic photon beams with which the sample is irradiated,
• wherein the control processing part identifies an isotope of interest that is present in a quasi-monochromatic photon beam irradiated region in the sample based on the detection signals of the plurality of radiation detectors, and
• wherein a spatial distribution of the isotope is visualized and displayed on the display part.