Neutron and X-ray scattering experiments provide valuable insights into the nanoscopic properties of matter, a scale that is also accessible through Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. If the simulations reproduce the experiments, they can give greater insight into the material properties on the nanoscopic scale than traditional data analysis methods.
However, existing MD forcefields are...
Neutron grating interferometry (nGI) allows simultaneous access to spatially resolved information about the attenuation, phase shift, and ultra-small-angle scattering (DFI) of neutrons in a sample by generating an interference pattern and analyzing the influence of the sample on the pattern.
Scattering decreases the visibility of the interference pattern. We can extract quantitative...
A persistent challenge for the inelastic neutron scattering technique has been the low scattering cross-section of neutrons, necessitating large sample sizes compared to other techniques. Focusing the neutron beam is a viable technique to increase the flux reaching the sample, but previous techniques suffer from limitations to beam size and quality or an excessively close distance to the...
Neutron supermirrors are multilayer structures of varying bilayer thickness with the purpose of extending the critical angle of the coating, increasing the neutron flux reaching the neutron instruments. The sputtered layers of the supermirrors are mostly made of nickel and titanium due to their excellent scattering contrast. Depolarization effects due to the ferromagnetism of nickel are...
Recent developments in event driven camera systems allow the construction of a new type of scintillator-based event mode imaging devices. This type of detector records data for individual neutron interactions in a scintillator screen. By analyzing each event individually, improvements in temporal and spatial resolution as well as noise supression are possible. At the same time, it has the same...
The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) operates at Germany’s sole neutron source FRM II the diffractometer STRESS-SPEC optimised for fast strain mapping and texture analyses. The STRESS-SPEC group was the first to pioneer sample handling and positioning via industrial robots at neutron diffractometers [1, 2]. However, the current robot is limited in its use due to insufficient absolute...
One of the most promising use cases of magnetic hyperthermia is using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for cancer therapy. In this treatment, MNPs are immersed into tumours and, by heating with external magnetic fields, typically 100-900 kHz, destroy cancer cells. For a successful application, the heating power needs to be improved by optimising the MNP structure. Recent studies have also shown a...
Ferromagnetic metals are commonly used as high performance magnetic core materials. Especially for application in transformers, grain oriented (GO) silicon steels stand out due to their uniaxial magnetic properties, which are founded in their strongly textured crystal structure. Since most techniques for investigating magnetic properties integrate over large sample volumes (magnetization and...
The magnetic flux guidance in an electric engine is achieved by introducing cutouts in the electrical steel (ES) sheets that make up its core. However, these cutouts create thin structures, reducing the mechanical strength of the ES sheets and limiting the achievable rotational speed and therefore the energy efficiency of the engine. We successfully created a novel type of magnetic flux...
