HRPT: High-Resolution Powder Diffractometer for Thermal Neutrons

Instrument responsibles: Vladimir Pomjakushin and Denis Sheptyakov
HRPT poster pdf HRPT slide pdf HRPT presentation pdf
Old HRPT web-page: http://sinq.web.psi.ch/sinq/instr/hrpt/index.html

The multidetector diffractometer HRPT [1,2] is designed as flexible instrument for efficient neutron powder diffraction studies - also for small sample sizes. High resolution (δd/d < 0.001) is achieved by thermal neutrons, large scattering angles of the monochromator and of the sample (up to 165°). By means of primary collimators, a secondary slit system and by appropriate choice of the sample diameter, resolution and intensity can be optimized. Wide range of neutron wavelengths λ = 0.84-2.96 Å is available. Due to the use of a large position sensitive (PSD) ³He detector , simultaneous measurements are possible within a scattering angle range of 160 degrees with angular step 0.1°. The detector can be positioned on air cushions also at intermediate positions and the angular step can be e.g. 0.05° or less. The detector can run in stroboscopic mode for the measurements of the crystal structures as a function of time the periodic processes (for example, charging/discharging) with maximal time resolution is 10ms. An oscillating radial collimator suppresses Bragg peaks from the sample environment such as for cryostats, furnaces, magnets or high pressure cells (<14 kbar) and (<100 kbar). The HRPT instrument is also equipped with the computer controlled sample changer for eight (8) samples for room temperature, sample changer for four (4) and for five (5) samples with sample rotation for the temperature range 1.5 - 315 K. More instrumental details and specifications can be found here.

References

[1] P. Fischer et al., Physica B 276-278, 146 (2000)
[2] "50 years of Swiss neutron diffraction instrumentation" P. Fischer, J. Schefer, L. Keller, O. Zaharko, V. Pomjakushin, D. Sheptyakov, N. Aliouane, M. Frontzek, S. L. Holm, K. Lefmann, and M. Christensen, Swiss Neutron News No. 42, August 2013 (http://sgn.web.psi.ch/sgn/snn/snn_42.pdf )