In this work we explore for the first time the applicability of using
γ-ray imaging in neutron capture measurements to identify and suppress
spatially localized background. For this aim, a pinhole gamma camera is
assembled, tested and characterized in terms of energy and spatial performance.
It consists of a monolithic CeBr3 scintillating crystal coupled to a
position-sensitive photomultiplier and readout through an integrated circuit
AMIC2GR. The pinhole collimator is a massive carven block of lead. A series of
dedicated measurements with calibrated sources and with a neutron beam incident
on a 197Au sample have been carried out at n_TOF, achieving an enhancement
of a factor of two in the signal-to-background ratio when selecting only those
events coming from the direction of the sample.Comment: Preprint submitted to Nucl. Instr. and Meth.