New neutron super-microscope expands material science research opportunities
27 Mar 2014 12:56 PM
A new
neutron super-microscope at STFC has just seen first neutrons and will expand
our material science research capabilities in fields such as engineering, food,
health and the environment.
The new microscope, called
Larmor, saw first neutrons being delivered this week at ISIS, the Science and
Technology Facilities Council’s world-leading centre for research in the
physical and life sciences. Knowledge gained using Larmor could play an
important role in the development of new high-tech materials for electronic
equipment, or in speeding up charging speeds of lithium-ion batteries in
electronic vehicles.
Dr Rob Dalgliesh is the
instrument scientist for Larmor. He says, “I’m delighted
that we’ve successfully seen first neutrons on Larmor – this is a
major milestone for us and will enable us to ensure that the instrument is
ready to perform its first experiments with users early in 2015. There are
several significant challenges ahead – for example this is the first
instrument to be built at ISIS that will use EPICS instrument control software
and a new version of the data acquisition electronics (DAE3) – but we are
well on the way.”
Larmor is the first of four
instruments developed as part of the second phase of ISIS second target
station. Users can apply for beamtime in the next ISIS proposal round in
October 2014. Larmor is being developed with UK government funding in
collaboration with TU Delft in the Netherlands, who have delivered equipment
for the OffSpec instrument at ISIS. As part of the project the Netherlands user
community will receive access to 30 days of beamtime a year on Larmor for the
next 10 years.
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ISIS is a world-leading centre
for research in the physical and life sciences at the STFC Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory near Oxford in the United Kingdom. Our suite of neutron and muon
instruments gives unique insights into the properties of materials on the
atomic scale. We support a national and international community of more than
3000 scientists for research into subjects ranging from clean energy and the
environment, pharmaceuticals and health care, through to nanotechnology and
materials engineering, catalysis and polymers, and on to fundamental studies of
materials.
The Netherlands funding
complements previously secured UK funding for the Larmor instrument announced
in March 2011 by David Willetts
Corinne
Mosese
STFC Press Officer
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