SwissNeutronics AG - Bruehlstrasse 28 - CH-5313 Klingnau - Switzerland - phone: +4156 245 02 02 - tech@swissneutronics.ch

past performance

SwissNeutronics provides neutron optical devices to all major neutron scattering facilities around the world. The performances include neutronic and engineering design, fabrication, inspection, testing, delivery to the customer, and installation of single devices and complete solutions. Training of customers staff for guide alignment and maintenance are further services provided by SwissNeutronics.

The list of products of SwissNeutronics comprises neutron guides, polarizing devices, focusing devices, mechanics for focusing monochromators, guide accessories, etc.

In conclusion, SwissNeutronics accumulated experience in various fields of neutron optics and the management of large projects in this regard. Hence, SwissNeutronics has an excellent expertise to conduct any involved project in neutron optics.

some typical projects

neutron guide system @ HANARO, KAERI

For the initial equipment of the new HANARO neutron guide system about 180 m of guides were manufactured by SwissNeutronics. The guides start at the in-pile section with a complex super-unit comprising five individual guides. Out-of-pile the guides continue into the new neutron guide hall. Two of them branch into two sub-beams each. All guides are coated with supermirror m = 2 with an average reflectivity of R = 94% (measured on about 900 single substrates). The guides were delivered in various batches according the planning by KAERI, all in due time.

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
March 2007 -
May 2009  
KAERI, HANARO  
Y.G. Cho / S.J. Cho
KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
1045 Daedeokdaero(150 Deokjin-dong), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon,
305-353, Korea 

Focusing guide optic for TOPAZ @ SNS – truly curved non-linear tapering

The non-linear tapered guide for the beamline TOPAZ is the first neutron optics with supermirror coatings m = 5. This guide together with a special aluminum casing is manufactured and delivered by SwissNeutronics. Again the highly sophisticated coating technology of SwissNeutronics enabled for an excellent performance with reflectivity between 68 and 72% at the critical edge of the supermirror measured on all substrates. The non-linear tapered guide profile was developed by the customer and realized with the “truly curved” concept (continuous curvature) by SwissNeutronics.

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
March 2008 -
October 2008  
Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)  
C. Hoffmann / J. Thomison
UT Battelle, LLC for the Dept. of Energy
c/o Oak Ridge National Laboratry
P.O. Box 2008, Bldg. 8600
Oak Ridge TN 37831 

Polarizing multi-channel V-cavity for KWS-1 @ FRM-II

The SANS instrument KWS-1 at FRM-II utilizes the concept of a V shape cavity to polarize the neutron beam. In order to realize this concept for the desired wavelength range and within the geometrical specifications (width, length), three parallel channels have to be assembled. Each channel is equipped with Si-wafer (t = 0.3 mm) in a V-shape geometry, coated with Fe/Si polarizing supermirror (m = 3.6). The device provides an average polarization of > 93%.

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
October 2008 -
October 2009  
JCNS @ FRM-II  
H. Frielinghaus / R. Hanslik
Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH,
D - 52425 Juelich
Germany 

Metallic guide assembly for in-pile @ NIST

For the in-pile section of the new neutron guide system at the NCNR at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) decided to use the latest technology for metallic guides uniquely provided by SwissNeutronics. This guide assembly is located at a distance of about 1440 mm from the moderator. Since this region is subject to an increased thermal and radiation load, it was desired to fabricate it from aluminum substrates.

A complex geometry and various m-values from 1.2 to 3.6 were required to match the phase space of the subsequent neutron guides. The fabrication of the guide assembly was performed including the sophisticated super-polishing, supermirror coating with reflectivity measurements of all substrates and highly accurate assembly.

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
February 2009 -
January 2010  
NCNR at National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST)  
D. Pierce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive Stop 1640
Building 301 Room B125
Gaithersburg MD 20899-1640 

complex neutron guide assemblies for NIST

For the extension of their guide system the NCNR at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, USA, required complex neutron guide assemblies for the initial section, close to the moderator. As usual, there the guides are very close to each other and NIST required large monolithic guide assemblies (super-units) for the best performance of the guides in this section. The super-units comprise several single guides with individual properties to transport the desired phase space. The neutronic design of the monoliths includes curved and elliptically tapered guides utilizing supermirror coatings on super-polished Borkron glass with appropriate m-values (up to m = 3.9).

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
August 2008 -
July 2009  
NCNR at National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST)  
D. Pierce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive Stop 1640
Building 301 Room B125
Gaithersburg MD 20899-1640 

Focusing monochromator system for HYSPEC @ SNS

The instrument HYSPEC at SNS uses crystal arrays to focus and direct the neutron beam onto the sample. Provision is made for arrays of HOPG and Heusler crystals to perform experiments with an unpolarized and a polarized neutron beam, respectively. Both monochromators have a variable vertical focus so that the optimum vertical focusing can be chosen for different neutron energies. In order to change between these two types of focusing crystal arrays a vertical translating mechanism is used to position the relevant monochromator in (or out) of the neutron beam. The complete system incl. the monochromator mechanism, goniometer stages per monochromator, the vertical translation mechanism and including all cabling was design, fabricated, assembled and tested by SwissNeutronics.

Period of Performance:  
Customer:  
Contacts: 
July 2008 -
March 2010  
Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)  
M. Hagen
UT Battelle, LLC for the Dept. of Energy
c/o Oak Ridge National Laboratry
P.O. Box 2008, Bldg. 8600
Oak Ridge TN 37831 

projects in the past

Below we give a comprehensive list (not complete) of our customers. The products which we have delivered include neutron guide systems, neutron optical components, monochromator shieldings, polarizers, components for synchrotron x-ray scattering, and functional coatings for industry.

  • ANSTO, Lucas Heights
    Australia
    m = 4 beam devices
    Dr. W. Klooster: wim@ansto.gov.au
    passive velocity Selector
    Dr. M. James: mja@ansto.gov.au
  • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    Upton, N.Y.
    20m of neutron guides
    Dr. J. B. Hastings: jbh@slac.stanford.edu
  • BESSY-II
    Berlin
    Pt, Ni coatings
    Dr. P. Guttmann: guttmann@exp.bessy.de
  • Ecowatt Productions Inc.
    Bâle
    coatings for heating
    G. Ferenac: ecowatt@compuserve.com
  • Electrowatt Econo
    Zürich
    test coatings
    F. Ferroni: Ferruccio.Ferroni@ewe.ch
  • Federal Institute of Technology
    Zürich
    mechanical components
    Dipl. Ing. P. Keller: peter.keller@psi.ch
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    more than 200m of neutron guides, 40m polarizing, focusing guides
    Prof. Dr. W. Petry: wpetry@frm2.tum.de
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    monochromator shielding, remanent transmission polarizer, frame overlap filter
    Dr. R. Georgii: rgeorgii@frm2.tum.de
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    10m of neutron guide, remanent polarizer
    Prof. Dr. O. Zimmer: oliver.zimmer@Physik.TU-Muenchen.DE
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    focusing monochromator
    Dr. P. Link: Peter_Link@frm2.tum.de
  • FZ-Jülich
    remanent polarizing coatings, multilayer monochromators
    Dr. U. Rücker: u.ruecker@fz-juelich.de
  • HMI
    Berlin
    remanent polarizing mirrors for SPAN
    Dr. C. Pappas: pappas@hmi.de
  • HMI
    Berlin
    doubly focusing monochromator
    Dr. H. A. Graf: graf@hmi.de
  • Institute Laue-Langevin
    France
    16.5m of neutron guide
    Dr. R. Gähler: gahler@ill.fr
    Dr. T. Pirling: pirling@ill.fr
  • IPNS, Argonne National Laboratory
    USA
    16.4m of neutron guide with m = 3
    Dr. J. Hodges: hodges@anl.gov
  • ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Lab.
    Chilton
    42m of neutron guides m = 3, frame overlap filters, doubly focusing trumpet
    Dr. M. Daymond: mark.daymond@rl.ac.uk
    Dr. M. Johnson: m.w.johnson@isise.rl.ac.uk
  • JAERI (currently JAEA)
    Tokai
    focusing devices, guides, mostly m = 3/3.6
    distributed by AVANCE, INC: avance@mva.biglobe.ne.jp
  • J-PARC
    Tokai
    shutter guides, beam inserts, mostly m = 3
    distributed by AVANCE, INC: avance@mva.biglobe.ne.jp
  • KEK
    Tsukuba
    focusing devices, guides, mostly m = 3.6
    distributed by AVANCE, INC: avance@mva.biglobe.ne.jp
  • KO-EN Technologies
    Berne
    catalyzing coatings
    H. Kohler: hans.kohler@ko-en.com
  • LLB
    Saclay
    polarisers, multilayer monochromators
    Dr. C. Fermon: fermon@drecam.saclay.cea.fr
    Dr. F. Ott, fott@cea.fr
  • MPI
    Stuttgart
    remanent polarizing coatings for 10m long multi channel guide at FRM-II
    Prof. Dr. B. Keimer: b.keimer@fkf.mpg.de
  • Mumbai
    India
    doubly focusing monochromator
    Dr. S.L.Chaplot: chaplot@magnum.barc.ernet.in
  • NIST
    Gaithersburg
    focusing unit
    Dr. Seung-Hun Lee: shl@jazz.ncnr.nist.gov
  • PSI
    Villigen
    8m of neutron guides, mechanical components, glass substrates for MARS guide
    J. Duppich: juergen.duppich@psi.ch
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    various guide inserts, shutter parts, multi-channel benders, neutron guides
    F. Klose: klosefr@ornl.gov
    S. K. Zhao: zhaoj@ornl.gov
    R. Allen: allenrr@ornl.gov
    J. Hodges: hodgesj@ornl.gov and others
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    semi-elliptic neutron guide for PGAA
    Dr. Petra Kudejova: petra@ikp.uni-koeln.de
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    guide switch and neutron guide for NL5
    Prof. Gunther Borchert: Gunther.borchert@frm2.tum.de
  • FRM-II
    Munich
    polarizing V shape cavity
    Dr. Wolfgang Häusler: wolfgang.haeussler@frm2.tum.de
  • ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Lab.
    Chilton
    elliptic neutron guide for HRPD
    Dr. Richard Ibberson: r.m.ibberson@rl.ac.uk
  • ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Lab.
    Chilton
    neutron beam bender and guide for Sans2D
    Dr. Richard Heenan: r.k.heenan@rl.ac.uk
    David Turner: d.s.turner@rl.ac.uk
  • Institute Laue-Langevin
    Grenoble
    guide switch and neutron guide for H17/H171/H172
    Jerome Beaucour: beaucour@ill.fr
    Iain Sutton: sutton@ill.fr
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    neutron guide with translation table for VULCAN
    George Rennich: rennichgq@ornl.gov
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    neutron guide with translation table for POWGEN
    Dr. Jason Hodges: hodgesj@ornl.gov
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    focusing neutron guide for ARCS
    Dr. Douglas Abernathy: abernathydl@ornl.gov
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    defocusing neutron guide section for FUND
    Prof. Geoff Greene: greenegl@ornl.gov
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    shutter cartridge guide assembly (m = 4) TOF-USANS
    Melissa Harvey: harveym@ornl.gov
    Kenneth Chipley: chipleykk@ornl.gov
  • SNS
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    parabolic focusing guide optic (m = 4.5) SNAP
    Dr. Chris Tulk: tulkca@ornl.gov
    Steve Chae: chaesm@ornl.gov