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

高磁场可以扰动凝聚态物质，揭示或改变其性质，而中子可以提供有关纳米尺度结构和动力学的详细信息。该奖项来自材料研究计划-主要仪器项目（IMR-MIP）计划，支持高场磁体的概念和工程设计（CED）研究，用于通过中子散射在30特斯拉以上的磁场中探测物质。该项目可能会导致一个世界级的设施，结合这些技术，为广泛的材料科学创造一个强大的新工具的建设。最近的两项技术进步使这成为可能。增加的亮度的Spectron中子源，使实验的小样品在极端的热力学条件和NSF的投资，开发一种新的混合高场技术在国家磁场实验室，使它成为可行的，使中子束到一个30特斯拉的直流磁铁和操作它的成本效益在占空比的中子源。该设施将提供独特的材料研究能力，包括量子磁学，相关金属，分子磁学，纳米结构磁体，超导性，冶金学，大分子晶体学，氢化物结构测定，中子激发核磁共振和电子核磁共振。这项研究有可能影响高密度磁信息存储、量子计算、超导输电、钢铁加工、药理学和氢基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项目，该项目还将在材料科学的高场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世界一流的材料科学工具提供支持，该工具可以在超高磁场中进行中子散射实验，该磁场是现在可能的两倍多。科学家对高磁场感兴趣，因为它们提供了一种改变材料特性的可控手段。国家高磁场实验室在过去十年的实验表明，通过研究材料对高磁场的响应，可以对有用或有趣的材料特性的起源产生独特的见解。另一方面，中子散射提供了纳米尺度世界的时间分辨窗口，这对先进技术越来越重要。通过结合这些技术，将首次有可能在超过30特斯拉的超高磁场条件下探测纳米尺度的结构和动力学。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，量子计算和电动机的新型磁性材料，并将有助于通过高磁场加工开发更强，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。通过在高磁场中对齐与氢相关的核自旋，中子可以更好地解析它们在生物材料和基于氢的能量分布的材料中的位置。通过让学生和青年研究人员参与，并通过外联活动，该项目还将有助于发展对中子散射、强磁场及其在材料科学中的应用的兴趣的专门知识。

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.