IMR-MIP: Conceptual and Engineering Design of Instrumentation for Probing Matter in Magnetic Fields above 30 Tesla through Neutron Scattering

技术摘要强磁场可以扰动凝聚态物质以揭示或改变性质，而中子可以提供关于纳米级结构和动力学的详细信息。该奖项来自材料研究仪器计划-主要仪器项目(IMR-MIP)计划，用于支持一项概念和工程设计(CED)研究，该研究用于通过中子散射探测高于30Tesla磁场中的物质。该项目可能会导致建造一个世界级的设施，将这些技术结合在一起，为广泛的材料科学创造一个强大的新工具。最近的两项技术进步使这一点成为可能。散裂中子源亮度的增加使在极端热力学条件下对小样品进行实验成为可能，美国国家科学基金会投资在国家磁场实验室开发了一种新的混合高场技术，使将中子束带入30特斯拉直流磁体并在中子源的占空比下经济高效地操作成为可能。将设计的设施将在量子磁学、相关金属、分子磁学、纳米结构磁体、超导、冶金、大分子结晶学、氢化物结构测定以及中子激发的核磁共振和电子磁共振等领域提供独特的材料研究能力。这项研究有可能影响高密度磁信息存储、量子计算、超导电力传输、钢铁加工、药理学和氢气能源分配等技术领域。通过让学生和博士后参与设计设施和开发研究计划，该项目还将在材料科学的高领域技术和仪器开发方面建立新的专业知识。非技术摘要材料研究部为设计一种世界级的材料科学工具提供支持，该工具能够在超高磁场中进行中子散射实验，超高磁场是目前可能大小的两倍以上。强磁场引起了科学家的兴趣，因为它们提供了一种改变材料性质的受控手段。国家强磁场实验室过去十年的实验表明，通过研究材料对强磁场的响应，有可能获得对有用或有趣的材料特性的起源的独特见解。另一方面，中子散射为了解纳米世界提供了一个时间分辨窗口，而纳米世界对先进技术越来越重要。通过将这些技术结合起来，将有可能首次在超过30特斯拉的超高磁场条件下探测纳米级结构和动力学。这些实验将推进旨在生产在室温下无电阻导电的材料的研究，它们将有助于探索用于信息存储、量子计算和电机的新型磁性材料，它们将有助于通过强磁场处理开发更坚固、更轻的金属合金。该设施还将为确定含有氢原子的材料的结构提供令人兴奋的新可能性。通过在强磁场中排列与氢相关的核自旋，中子可以更好地确定它们在生物材料中的位置，以及在基于氢的能量分配的材料中的位置。通过让学生和青年研究人员参与，并通过外联活动，该项目还将有助于培养对中子散射、强磁场及其在材料科学中的应用感兴趣的专门知识。

Technical abstractHigh magnetic fields can perturb condensed matter to reveal or alter properties while neutrons can provide detailed information about nano-scale structure and dynamics. This award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research program -Major Instrumentation Project (IMR-MIP) program supports a conceptual and engineering design (CED) study of a high field magnet for probing matter in magnetic fields above 30 Tesla through neutron scattering. The project may lead to the construction of a world-class facility that combines these techniques to create a powerful new tool for a wide range of materials science. Two recent technological advances make this possible. The increased brightness of the Spallation Neutron Source enables experiments on small samples under extreme thermodynamic conditions and NSF investment to develop a new hybrid high field technology at the National Magnetic field Laboratory makes it feasible to bring a neutron beam into a 30 Tesla DC magnet and operate it cost effectively at the duty cycle of a neutron source. The facility to be designed will provide unique materials research capabilities in areas including quantum magnetism, correlated metals, molecular magnetism, nano-structured magnets, superconductivity, metallurgy, macro molecular crystallography, hydride structure determination, and neutron excited nuclear and electronic magnetic resonance. This research has the potential to impact technological areas such as high-density magnetic information storage, quantum computing, superconducting power transmission, steel processing, pharmacology, and hydrogen based energy distribution. By involving student and post docs in designing the facility and developing the research program this project will also build new expertise in high field technology and instrumentation development for materials science. Non-technical Abstract The Division of Materials Research provides support for the design of a world-class tool for materials science that enables neutron scattering experiments in ultra-high magnetic fields, more than twice as large as now possible. High magnetic fields are of interest to scientists because they offer a controlled means of altering materials properties. Experiments at the National High Magnetic Field laboratory over the last decade show that by studying the response of materials to high magnetic fields it is possible to derive unique insight into the origin of useful or interesting materials properties. Neutron scattering on the other hand provides a time resolved window on the nano-scale world which is of growing importance to advanced technologies. By combining these techniques it will be possible for the first time to probe nano-scale structure and dynamics under ultra high magnetic field conditions in excess of 30 Tesla. Such experiments will advance research aimed at producing materials that conduct electricity without resistance at room temperature, they will help to explore new classes of magnetic materials for information storage, quantum computing, and electrical motors, and they will help to develop stronger, lighter metal alloys through high magnetic field processing. The facility will also offer exciting new possibilities for determining the structure of materials that contain hydrogen atoms. By aligning the nuclear spin associated with hydrogen in high magnetic fields, neutrons can better resolve their position in biological materials and in materials for hydrogen based energy distribution. By involving students and young researchers and through outreach activities the project will also help to develop expertise an interest in neutron scattering, high magnetic fields and their application in materials science.