Assembly for polarising a neutron beam with high divergence

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The patent describes an assembly designed to efficiently polarize neutron beams that have high divergence (i.e., beams where the neutrons are traveling in many different directions). The system combines specially designed optical components called a polarizing collimator and a secondary polarizer or cavity. These components selectively reflect or absorb neutrons based on their spin state, producing a beam where most neutrons have the same spin direction, with minimal loss of intensity and without changing the direction or spread of the beam.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Neutron scattering experiments in materials science to investigate magnetic and structural properties.
• Fundamental physics research requiring highly polarized neutron beams.
• Medical imaging techniques that utilize neutrons for high-resolution scans.
• Non-destructive testing and analysis in engineering using polarized neutrons.
• Improved neutron beamlines at research reactors and spallation neutron sources.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables efficient polarization of neutron beams with high divergence, increasing the range of experiments possible.
• Reduces equipment size by maintaining compact design with short assembly length.
• Preserves the direction and divergence of the original neutron beam, simplifying beamline alignment and reducing the need for frequent realignment.
• Minimizes neutron loss and maximizes transmission, leading to higher intensity polarized beams.
• Flexible design allows integration into existing neutron instrumentation.
• Potentially lower cost and easier manufacturing compared to previous solutions that used expensive crystals or large assemblies.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The assembly has a radiation optical component formed as a polarizing collimator (PK). The optical component has neutron guiding channels (K2, K3) with length and breadth such that neutrons impinge at an incidence angle at a spin-dependent reflecting layer (Rs2.2), where the incidence angle of the neutrons is greater than a preset angle. Another radiation optical component polarizes not polarized neutrons coming from the former component and transmits the neutrons polarized in the former component, where the incidence angle of the non polarized neutrons is less than the preset angle.