Neutron Powder Diffraction and Equipment Upgrades at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor: Leveraging Previous Investments in Canadian Neutron Scattering

这项研究工具和仪器赠款申请的目的是通过从位于Chalk River的加拿大中子束中心(CNBC)获得多余设备来升级麦克马斯特核反应堆(MNR)的中子散射仪器，该中心于2019年3月关闭。MNR目前是加拿大唯一用于材料研究的中子束来源。中子是研究新材料性质的基本工具，它揭示了关于结构、磁性以及原子间作用力和相互作用的性质的关键信息。MNR拥有两条中子散射光束线：麦克马斯特准直衍射仪(MAD)和麦克马斯特小角中子散射光束线(MacSANS，计划于2020年夏季投入使用)。这两条光束线为加拿大的材料研究提供了独特的能力，并有能力为来自全国各地的科学家提供服务，从物理和化学到生物、环境科学和工程。*CNBC的关闭为扩大MNR的实验能力提供了一个独特的、对时间敏感的机会。特别是，与核反应堆有关的大量中子散射仪器现在是过剩的，必须在核反应堆退役之前拆除(或处置)。我们建议购买这些多余的设备，并将其重新部署到MNR，在那里它可以继续为加拿大的中子散射社区服务。MNR的这一新设备将包括一套低温和高磁场样品环境，以及有价值的辅助设备，如探测器、监视器、过滤器、单色仪、准直器、电机、工作台和相关电子设备。然而，这项提议的核心是来自CNBC的C2中子粉衍射仪的探测器，这是一种具有80度角度范围的800元多线中子探测器。该探测器几乎可以立即用于MNR，这将最早在2020年夏季提供加拿大唯一的中子粉末衍射设施。*这项提议是一个机会，可以利用在粉笔河的加拿大中子束中心对中子散射仪器进行的长达数十年的大量投资。我们保守地估计，在这项RTI申请中申请的148,630美元将使我们能够获得最初价值十倍以上的中子散射仪器。该仪器将在麦克马斯特核反应堆的中子粉末衍射、低温和高磁场散射方面引入令人振奋的新能力，并为加拿大研究人员研究从高温超导体和奇异量子磁体到生物膜、新型电池材料和3D打印钢等材料提供重要工具。

The purpose of this Research Tools and Instruments grant application is to upgrade the neutron scattering instrumentation at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) by obtaining surplus equipment from the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre (CNBC) at Chalk River which closed in March 2019. The MNR is currently Canada's only source of neutron beams for materials research. Neutrons are a fundamental tool for studying the properties of novel materials, revealing crucial information about structure, magnetism, and the nature of interatomic forces and interactions. The MNR is home to two neutron scattering beamlines: the McMaster Alignment Diffractometer (MAD) and the McMaster Small Angle Neutron Scattering beamline (MacSANS, scheduled to become operational in Summer 2020). These two beamlines offer unique capabilities for materials research in Canada, and have the capacity to serve scientists from across the country, in fields ranging from Physics and Chemistry, to Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Engineering.******The closure of the CNBC presents a unique, and time-sensitive, opportunity to expand the experimental capabilities of the MNR. In particular, there is a significant amount of neutron scattering instrumentation associated with the CNBC which is now surplus and must be removed (or disposed of) before the decommissioning of the NRU reactor. We propose to purchase this surplus equipment and relocate it to the MNR, where it can continue to serve the Canadian neutron scattering community. This new equipment for MNR would include a suite of low temperature and high magnetic field sample environments, as well as valuable ancillary equipment such as detectors, monitors, filters, monochromators, collimators, motors, stages, and associated electronics. However, the centerpiece of this proposal is the detector from the C2 neutron powder diffractometer at CNBC, a sensitive 800 element multi-wire neutron detector with an 80 degree angular range. This detector can be adapted for almost immediate use at the MNR, which would provide the only facility for neutron powder diffraction in Canada as early as Summer 2020.******This proposal represents an opportunity to leverage a significant, decades long, investment in neutron scattering instrumentation at the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre in Chalk River. We conservatively estimate that the $148,630 requested in this RTI application would allow us to acquire neutron scattering instrumentation originally valued at over ten times as much. This instrumentation will introduce exciting new capabilities for neutron powder diffraction, low temperature, and high magnetic field scattering at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, and provide important tools for Canadian researchers studying materials ranging from high temperature superconductors and exotic quantum magnets to biological membranes, novel battery materials, and 3D printed steels.