Development of a 10 m SANS Instrument for Materials Research and Student Training

在美国国家标准与技术研究院中子研究中心（NCNR），来自美国各地的科学家和工程师利用中子来探测亚微观结构和分子运动，这些结构和运动决定了从混凝土到细胞膜等各种材料的性能。使用的主要技术之一是小角中子散射（SANS），它专门探测材料微观结构在1纳米到500纳米的范围内。为了响应大学研究人员对SANS测量的日益增长的需求，NCNR通过其NSF赞助的高分辨率中子散射中心（CHRNS），已经承诺翻新一台20年的中分辨率8米长的SANS仪器，并通过其用户程序使翻新仪器上50%的光束时间可用。此外，10米SANS上另外20%的光束时间将专门用于研究生训练和早期论文研究。这种光束时间的分配代表了一种新的方法，可以提高国家用户设施的教育效益，并培养下一代中子散射技术方面的知识和技能的研究人员。美国国家标准与技术研究院中子研究中心（NCNR）目前运行着两台30米长的小角中子散射（SANS）仪器，就中子通量、测量范围、通用性和易用性而言，它们是北美最好的，与世界上最好的同类仪器相竞争。为了响应对SANS测量的持续需求，NCNR通过其NSF赞助的高分辨率中子散射中心（CHRNS），已经承诺翻新一台20年的中分辨率8米长的SANS仪器，并通过其用户程序使翻新仪器上50%的光束时间可用。现代化仪器的工作长度为10米，测量范围将满足大约一半到三分之二的SANS用户实验的要求。此外，10米SANS上另外20%的光束时间将专门用于研究生训练和早期论文研究。这种光束时间的分配代表了一种新的方法，可以提高国家用户设施的教育效益，并培养下一代中子散射技术方面的知识和技能的研究人员。

At National Institute of Standards and Technology's Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) scientists and engineers from around the U.S. use neutrons to probe the sub-microscopic structures and molecular motions that determine the properties of materials ranging from concrete to cell membranes. One of the principal techniques used is small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), which specifically probes materials microstructure in the range from 1 nm to 500 nm. In response to increasing demand from university researchers for SANS measurements, the NCNR, through its NSF sponsored Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS), has undertaken to renovate a 20-year-old, medium resolution 8-m long SANS instrument, and to make 50 % of the beam time on the refurbished instrument available through its user program. In addition, another 20 % of the beam time on the 10-m SANS would be set aside specifically for graduate student training and early stage thesis research. This allocation of beam time represents a novel approach to enhancing the educational benefit of a national user facility and to developing the next generation of researchers knowledgeable and skilled in neutron scattering techniques.The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) currently operates two 30-m long small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instruments that, in terms of neutron flux, measurement range, versatility and ease of use, are the best in North America and competitive with the best such instruments in the world. In response to the sustained demand for SANS measurements, the NCNR, through its NSF sponsored Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS), has undertaken to renovate a 20-year-old, medium resolution 8-m long SANS instrument, and to make 50 % of the beam time on the refurbished instrument available through its user program. The modernized instrument would have a working length of 10 meters and a measurement range that would satisfy the requirements of roughly one-half to two-thirds of SANS user experiments. In addition, another 20 % of the beam time on the 10-m SANS would be set aside specifically for graduate student training and early stage thesis research. This allocation of beam time represents a novel approach to enhancing the educational benefit of a national user facility and to developing the next generation of researchers knowledgeable and skilled in neutron scattering techniques.