Earl Babcock

KWS-1 high-resolution small-angle neutron scattering instrument at JCNS: current state

The KWS-1 small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument operated by the Julich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at the research reactor FRM II of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching near Munich has been recently upgraded. The KWS-1 instrument was updated, from its active collimation apertures to the detector cabling. Most of the parts of the instrument were installed for the first time, including a broadband polarizer, a large-cross-section radio-frequency spin flipper, a chopper and neutron lenses. A custom-designed hexapod in the sample position allows heavy loads and precise sample positioning in the beam for conventional SANS experiments as well as for grazing-incidence SANS under applied magnetic field. With the foreseen in situ polarization analysis the main scientific topic of the instrument tends towards magnetism. The performance of the polarizer and flipper was checked with a polarized 3He cell at the sample position. The results of these checks and a comparison of test measurements on a ferrofluid in a magnetic field with polarized and nonpolarized neutrons are presented.

High level of 3He polarization maintained in an on-beam 3He spin filter using SEOP

Abstract Maintaining high levels of 3 He polarization over long periods of time is important for many areas of fundamental and particle beam physics. Long measurement times are often required in such experiments, and the data quality is a function of the 3 He polarization. This is the case for neutron scattering, where the 3 He can be used to analyze the spin of a scattered neutron beam. For neutron scattering, the relatively small fluxes of polarized neutrons lead to experiment times longer than several days. Consequently, the Julich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) is developing spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) systems capable of polarizing the 3 He gas in place on a typical neutron instrument. With the polarizer we have constructed, a very high level of 3 He polarization of 80.4%±1.5% was obtained and maintained with good time stability. Having such high levels of polarization that are stable over time will reduce the measurement times for such experiments and eliminate time-dependent data corrections.

Wide-angle polarization analysis with 3He for neutron scattering instrumentation at the JCNS

Polarization analysis is an important technique for polarized neutron scattering as it allows one to obtain the full information about the vector magnetization in the sample that is critically important for detailed understanding of physical properties of molecular magnets, new superconductors, spin electronic and magnetic nanostructures, as well as the self-organization of magnetic nanostructures. In the simplified 1-dimensional version polarization analysis allows for the separation of coherent and incoherent scattering, making it a potentially important technique for studies of non-deuterated biological objects that themselves produce unavoidable background. We compare some of the major considerations between two different methods for the polarization analysis – supermirror based analyzers and polarized 3He neutron spin filters and point out when the latter is beneficial from the point of view of our neutron experiments and instrumentation. We will also discuss some specific requirements to such neutron spin filters and summarize the classes of instrumentation where they will be applied at the JCNS. Finally we will describe a successful application for small-angle neutron scattering from a biological sample.

The high-intensity reflectometer of the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science: MARIA

MARIA is a world class vertical sample reflectometer dedicated to the investigation of thin films in the fields of magnetism, soft matter and biology. With the elliptical vertically focusing guide and a wavelength resolution of Δλ/λ = 10%, the non-polarized flux at the sample position amounts to 1.2 × 108 n (s cm2)−1. Besides the polarized and non-polarized reflectivity mode for specular and off-specular reflectivity measurements, MARIA can also be used to carry out grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering investigations.

Lateral Magnetically Modulated Multilayers by Combining Ion Implantation and Lithography

The combination of lithography and ion implantation is demonstrated to be a suitable method to prepare lateral multilayers. A laterally, compositionally, and magnetically modulated microscale pattern consisting of alternating Co (1.6 µm wide) and Co-CoO (2.4 µm wide) lines has been obtained by oxygen ion implantation into a lithographically masked Au-sandwiched Co thin film. Magnetoresistance along the lines (i.e., current and applied magnetic field are parallel to the lines) reveals an effective positive giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior at room temperature. Conversely, anisotropic magnetoresistance and GMR contributions are distinguished at low temperature (i.e., 10 K) since the O-implanted areas become exchange coupled. This planar GMR is principally ascribed to the spatial modulation of coercivity in a spring-magnet-type configuration, which results in 180° Néel extrinsic domain walls at the Co/Co-CoO interfaces. The versatility, in terms of pattern size, morphology, and composition adjustment, of this method offers a unique route to fabricate planar systems for, among others, spintronic research and applications.

First result from the magic-PASTIS using large

We report on the first results of the newly proposed and prototyped PASTIS coil set, enabling for XYZ polarization analysis on the future thermal time-of flight spectrometers. Our setup uses a wide-angle banana shaped 3He Neutron Spin Filter cell (NSF) to cover a large range of scattering solid angle. The design assures relative magnetic field gradients < 10-3 cm-1 and large solid angle areas not interrupted by either coils or supports. In the vertical direction nearly 40° are open and the blind spots in the horizontal scattering plane comprise only 3° in 180° due to the square X and Y compensation coils. We present the first results of the field mapping and relaxations time measurements using a large 3He SEOP polarized GE180 doughnut cell.

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In order to produce high-quality 3He Neutron Spin Filters (NSF) with a high polarisation level, it is necessary to achieve a long 3He relaxation time by the reduction of the wall relaxation. This requires one to minimise the amount of impurities at the surface of the glass cells, and to have as few contaminants as possible in the gas filling system. In this report we describe the detailed procedure we employ to produce 3He cells using our newly built filling station. The obtained life times for a number of cells are practically approaching the fundamental limit imposed by the dipole-dipole interaction between 3He atoms.

He SEOP-polarized GE180 doughnut cell

We present the design for the polarization analysis of the future thermal time-of-flight spectrometer at the Juelich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at the FRM II. TOPAS is a time-of-flight spectrometer covering a range of incident energies 20 meV < Ei < 160 meV and an angular range −3° < 2θ < 150°. A set of Fermi choppers selects the incoming energy Ei with a resolution up to 3 %. The instrument is optimized for a high flux on small samples using an elliptical neutron guide. The special feature of TOPAS is the polarization analysis. The incident polarization will be realized by means of a 3He continuously pumped polarizer, which is a downscaled version of the device developed for small angle applications at JCNS. The polarization analysis over a wide angular range demands either short distances between the sample and the analyzer or a large volume of polarized 3He. Here we propose the latter alternative to allow the study of magnetic samples and modest magnetic fields at the sample position.

3He Neutron Spin Filter cell development program at JCNS

Polarization analysis will be needed on modern neutron scattering instrumentation designed to measure wide dynamic Q-ranges. These instruments will often use large area detectors and potentially multiple neutron wavelength bands or pulsed sources. This will place high demands on the method used for the polarization analysis. Two methods, super mirrors and 3He neutron spin filters, are often considered as the only solutions. In this paper we will discuss the basic differences in these two methods for applications measuring a wide dynamic Q-range via the use of large area detectors. First we will present the simplified theory for conceptual understanding of how both wide angle SM and wide angle 3He analyzer devices perform. Then we discuss how the properties of each method will effect neutron performance taking into account practical considerations. Such a conceptual understanding of the basics of design, performance and limitations of the two main options for such wide angle polarization analysis is timely...