Status and recent developments in diffractive neutron optics at the ILL

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Vol. 385; pp. 1271 - 1273
• Main Authors: Courtois, P., Bigault, T., Andersen, K.H., Baudin-Cavallo, J., Ben Saïdane, K., Berneron, M., El-Aazzouzzi, A., Gorny, D., Graf, W., Guiblain, T., Hehn, R., Hetzler, E., Menthonnex, C., Mestrallet, B., Dewhurst, C.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.11.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Neutron monochromators; Neutron multilayers; Neutron physics; Nuclear engineering and nuclear power studies; Nuclear physics; Physics; 41.85.−p; Neutron monochromators; Neutron multilayers; 03.75.Be; Mosaic crystals; Neutron diffraction; Monochromators; Ultracold neutrons; Neutron diffractometers; Copper; Neutron monochromators; Neutron multilayers; 03.75.Be; 41.85.-p
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2006.06.043

We present the present status and recent advances in diffractive neutron optics at the ILL. Very high-quality copper crystals with intrinsic mosaics of the order of 1′ can now be produced which is of interest for the reproducible production of higher-mosaic anisotropic crystals for neutron monochromators and potentially for a gamma-ray Laue lens for astrophysical applications. Recent progress in the growth of mosaic germanium crystals now allows us to produce high-quality crystals with a controllable and anisotropic mosaic of up to several degrees. Polarising supermirrors of Fe–Si can now be produced with critical angles of up to 4 times the critical angle of natural nickel. Recent applications include a solid-state S-bender, a transmission polariser for small-angle scattering and a polarising monochromator for 8.9 Å neutrons for the production of ultra-cold neutrons.