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Compound refractive optics for the imaging and focusing of low-energy neutrons

Nature volume 391, pages 563–566 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Low-energy neutrons are essential for the analysis and characterization of materials and magnetic structures. However, both continuous (reactor-based) and pulsed (spallation-based) sources of such neutrons suffer from low fluence. Steering and lensing devices could improve this situation dramatically, so increasing spatial resolution, detectable sample volume limits and even perhaps opening the way for the construction of a neutron microscope. Neutron optics have to date exploited either Bragg diffraction1,2, such as bent crystals, or reflection, as in mirror3 guides or a Kumakhov lens4,5. Refractive optics remain an attractive alternative as they would permit full use of the beam cross-section, allow a compact and linear installation and, because of similarity to conventional optics, enable the use of commercial design and simulation tools. These advantages notwithstanding, single-element refractive optics have previously been considered impractical as they are too weakly focusing, too absorptive and too dispersive. Inspired by the recent demonstration6 of a compound refractive lens (CRL) for high-energy X-rays, we have designed, built and tested a prototype CRL for 9–20-Å neutrons by using readily available optical components: our CRL has gains greater than 15 and focal lengths of 1–6 m, well matched to small-angle neutron scattering.

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Figure 1: Photograph of the 30-element array of 25-mm-diameter symmetric spherical MgF2 biconcave lenses, with one lens held aside for demonstration.
Figure 2: Focal properties of a 30-element lens array using 14.1-Å neutrons and a 2-mm pinhole A1 and 25-mm aperture A2.
Figure 3: Dependence on neutron wavelength of the CRL gain (defined as intensity at focus for the CRL relative to pinhole collimation) with pinholes A1 of 2 mm (solid symbols) and 4 mm (open symbols).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Risø National Laboratory, PO Box 49, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    M. R. Eskildsen & K. Mortensen

  2. Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, 700 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, 07974, New Jersey, USA

    P. L. Gammel, E. D. Isaacs & D. J. Bishop

  3. Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, 50011, Iowa, USA

    C. Detlefs

Authors
  1. M. R. Eskildsen
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  2. P. L. Gammel
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  3. E. D. Isaacs
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  4. C. Detlefs
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  5. K. Mortensen
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  6. D. J. Bishop
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. L. Gammel.

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Eskildsen, M., Gammel, P., Isaacs, E. et al. Compound refractive optics for the imaging and focusing of low-energy neutrons. Nature 391, 563–566 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/35333

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