Trends and Techniques in Neutron Beam Research for Medium and Low Flux Research Reactors
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IAEA-TECDOC-974 Trends and techniques in neutron beam research for medium and low flux research reactors Report consultantsa of meeting held in Mumbai, India, 16-19 March 1996 INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY /A\ The IAEA does not normally maintain stocks of reports in this series. However, microfiche copie f thesso e reportobtainee b n sca d from IN IS Clearinghouse International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramerstrasse5 0 10 P.Ox Bo . A-1400 Vienna, Austria Orders should be accompanied by prepayment of Austrian Schillings 100, for e for e chequa th f m th IAEf m o n i o n i r Aeo microfiche service coupons which may be ordered separately from the INIS Clearinghouse. The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was Physics Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramerstrasse 5 0 10 x P.OBo . A-1400 Vienna, Austria TREND TECHNIQUED SAN NEUTROSN I N BEAM RESEARCR HFO MEDIUM AND LOW FLUX RESEARCH REACTORS IAEA, VIENNA, 1997 IAEA-TECDOC-974 ISSN 1011-4289 ©IAEA, 1997 Printed by the IAEA in Austria October 1997 FOREWORD Neutrons serve as a complementary probe to X rays and other techniques for a wide rang f applicationseo . These include studie f diverso s e propertie materiad an s l testind gan characterization. Neutron beam alse sar o use mose somn di th f te o fundamenta l applications in basic research in condensed matter physics. Early research using neutron beams focused on standard techniques such as diffraction or inelastic scattering. However, over the past three decades, the techniques have become quite diverse and sophisticated. Notable examples include neutron spin-echo spectroscopy, neutron optics and reflectometry, small angle neutron scattering, etc. e IAETh s Amakini g concerted effort o promott s programmeD R& e r neutrofo s n beam research to assist the developing Member States in better utilization of their research reactors consultantA . s meetin organizes gwa n 16-1do 9 March 199 revieo 6t currene wth t statu d deliberat an se futur th n eo e trend n neutroi s n beam based researcd h an usin w lo g medium flux research reactors wit e flu o 10hth t x 13p e orderangu -10th f f o r1eo 4 n/cm2/s, particularly in the light of recent advances in electronics and instrumentation. The participants focused on five specific topics: triple axis spectrometry, neutron depolarization studies, capillary optics, spin-echo spectrometr d small-anglan y e neutron spectrometry. This TECDOC details the highlights of the discussions in the meeting along with the papers presented. hopes Ii t d that this publication will help improv mediu d utilizatioe an eth w mlo f no flux research reactors and the further exploitation of neutron beam techniques in materials science. e IAETh A staff members responsibl r thifo es publication wer . AkhtaK e d an r V. Dimic of the Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences. EDITORIAL NOTE In preparing this publication for press, staff of the IAEA have made up the pages from the original manuscripts submittedas authors.the viewsby The expressed necessarilynot do reflect IAEA, the thosegovernments the of nominatingthe of Member nominatingStatesthe or organizations. Ttiroughout the text names of Member States are retained as they were when the text was compiled. 11\e use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by publisher,the legalthe IAEA,to the status as suchof countries territories,or theirof authorities institutionsand delimitation ofthe or of their boundaries. Ttie mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does imply intentionnot any infringeto proprietary rights, should construednor be it endorsementan as recommendationor partthe IAEA. ofon the CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION......................................... 7 2. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED ..................................................................... 8 2.1. Triple axis spectrometry.................................................................................................. 9 2.1.1. Beam tubes and moderators for triple axis spectrometry.................................... 9 2.2. Neutron depolarization studies.......................................................................................9 . 2.3. Small-angle neutron scattering.......................................................................................0 1 . 2.3.1. Type instruments...........................................................................................f so 0 1 . 2.3.2. General considerations........................................................................................1 1 . 2.4. Neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE)..........................................................................1 1 2.5. Polycapillary neutron lenses...........................................................................................2 1 . 3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................... 14 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................... 16 ANNEX: PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE MEETING Triple axis spectrometers............................................................................................................... 19 K.N. Clausen Neutron depolarisation in magnetic materials............................................................................... 35 M.T. Rekveldt Small angle neutron scattering.......................................................................................................43 B.A. Dasannacharya, P.S. Goyal Neutron spin echo........................................................................................................................... 55 FaragoB. Polycapillary neutron lenses..........................................................................................................3 .6 D.F.R. Mildner LIS PARTICIPANTS...........................................................................................................F TO 1 .7 38EXT PAGE(S) left BLANK 1. INTRODUCTION Durin lase gth t nearl year0 y5 s sinc firse eth t reactor 'pile establishes wa ' Chicagot da ,a number of research reactors have been built the world over. At present as many as about 300 research reactors of different power ratings are under operation or in operable condition. They e beinar g used addition i , neutroo nt n beam researc condensen hi d matter varieta r fo ,f yo applications suc s isotopha e production, neutron activation analysis, studies connected with nuclear power reactor fuels, components and structural materials. The neutron beam based research at research reactors is largely centered around crystal spectrometers whereas at the pulsed neutron source time-of-flighe sth t (TOP) metho useds di . Durin pase , yearg0 th so 3 t r so varieta neutrof yo n beam tailoring techniques have been developedd . Thesan t basee ho e ar n do cold neutron moderators, neutron guides, multi-detector system speciad san l monochromators. Neutron diffractio tripld an n e axis neutron spectrometry develope Shuly db Brockhousd an l e respectivel late th e n yfortiei fiftied san s received recognitio awarNobee e th th f y ndo b l Prizn ei Physic theo st m1994n i originae .Th l concept f diffractioso tripld an n e axis spectrometry they develope e stil dvoguar n i l ford backbone ean m th r furtheefo r developmentd s an usin w glo medium flux reactors. Polarized neutron diffractio analysid an n s techniques, back-scattering high resolution inelastic spectroscopy, correlation techniques, neutron interferometry, neutron spin-echo spectroscopy, three dimensional depolarization analysi d small-anglan s e neutron scattering are some of the later developments which have flourished in many research reactor centres s noteworthi t I . y that experiment a variet n o sf materialyo d an w slo carriet a t dou medium flux reactors at the Atominstitut (Austria), IRI (Netherlands), RIS0 (Denmark), MURR (Japan), etc. have forefron e beeth n i earlf o t y development somf so thesf eo e techniques. advancee Th resultd san s obtained durin 1960e g th summarizee sar "Instrumentation di n for Neutron Inelastic Scattering Research" publishe e IAEth n A197y i b d 0 just before th e commissionin Hige th hf g o Flux Grenoble n i Reacto L IL t ra . Though this publication refero t s Inelastic Scatterin e document th e titln realit i f th o e s i n i g a ycompendiut i , f papermo s presented and discussions held in the Panel of Experts' Meeting organized by the IAEA in Vienn 1969n ai . There have been many other publications relate neutroo dt n inelastic scattering arisin variouf o t gou s IAEA symposi conferenced aan s which also detail many developmentn si the techniques and instrumentation in this field. These are serving as useful reference documents growtfoe th r researcf ho thin hi s are utilizatiof ao researcf no h reactors. There has been a slowing down in the construction of new research reactors in North America and in Europe during the past decade, principally because of concerns following the Chemobyl accident, and the closure of several reactors in the western world. However, a numberesearcw ne f o rh reactors have been established during this periodevelopine th n di g countries, especiall Asian yi addition I . n many European reactors hav ee bein beear r gno upgraded. Avenue neutror sfo n beam researc thesn h i othed ean r functional reactors have been a topi f intenso c e discussio t differena n t times. Ther a nee s o reviei