Compound Magnetic Lens for Providing Focused, Polarized Neutrons

The resolution of several instruments now used to measure materials structural dimensions is limited by the neutron flux at the sample. Material lenses have been used to improve this situation, but are limited by absorption and small aperture. Larger apertures and lower absorption lenses are needed, especially for longer wavelength neutrons. Statement of How the Problem or Situation is Being Addressed Adelphi Technology proposes to design, fabricate, and test a magnetic lens to refract and focus thermal and cold neutrons. The new lenses will have larger apertures with no intervening material that can scatter and absorb the neutrons. The lenses also have the added benefit that they provide polarized neutrons, which can be used to probe magnetic and superconducting materials, and achieve higher resolution than non-polarized beams. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits The proposed magnetic neutron lens will provide neutron focusing and imaging for neutron microscopy, small angle neutron scatter, and other neutron optics applications. The lens can be used in instruments to help determine the sizes and structures of objects on the nanoscale (1-100nm), like polymer molecules, biological molecules, defect structures in metals and ceramics, pores in rocks, magnetic clusters, magnetic flux lines in type-II superconductors and so on. The sales of the magnetic lens are to government and academic neutron facilities, which serve and promote industrial and technological development in the U.S. The proposed lenses provide an important indirect benefit to the U.S. economy by enhancement of neutron-based R & amp;D facilities.