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Solid State Structures Group

The Solid State Structures group is a group within the Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), division Research with Neutrons and Muons (NUM).
The neutron diffraction group operates four instruments at the Swiss continuous spallation neutron source SINQ: The high resolution neutron powder diffractometer HRPT, covering 160° in 2Θ, the cold neutron powder diffractometer DMC, covering 80°, the neutron single crystal diffractometer ZEBRA, the pulse overlap time-of-flight diffractometer POLDI and the crystal testing instrument Orion.

DMC cold neutron powder diffractometer λ=2.45 - 6 Å , Δd/d ≥ .006, linear detector with 400 channels (0.2°)
HRPT thermal powder diffractometer λ=1.044 - 2.953 Å, Δd/d ≥ .0009, linear detector with 1600 channels (0.1°)
ZEBRA thermal single crystal diffractometer λ=1.177 Å, 2.317 Å , Δd/d ≥ .005, 4-circle open cradle and tilt-mode, single and 2D detector
Orion cold neutron test instrument λ=2.214 Å , closed 4-circle-cradle
Beside the research of the diffraction group and the LNS research in condensed matter physics, we support external users of our instruments in performing the experiments and in the first data treatment. Well prepared experiments together with the collaboration between outside and inside experts is very fruitful and yields excellent results. We are well supported by the LDM laboratory concerning computing and sample environment and the condensed matter theory group (CMT) in the evaluation of our data.

A permanently updated publication list is available on our site.

Instrument Projects

ZEBRA: The new single crystal neutron diffractometer optimized for parametric studies and an extended q-range for crystallographic investigations, is under construction at SINQ and its commissioning is expected for 2016 (2D/1D similar to present TriCS) and for the new analyzer unit in 2017.. Design and Characteristics.

DMC: New two-dimensional curved detector, new nonmagnetic sample table

ESS Instrument HEIMDAL: The hybrid instrument HEIMDAL (named after a god in the Norse mythology) is combining thermal and cold neutron diffraction, SANS and neutron imaging in one instrument as requested by many in-situ experiments where samples change for example with time. Chemical reactions, technical materials in operations, materials showing phase separations, where single shot measurements on different instrument would yield information on a different status of the material, will be investigated on different length scales from 0.01nm up to 1000nm. Design and Characteristics

We are partner in the 2-year Erasmus Mundus Program MaMaSELF
Next deadline for applicants with Swiss citizenship: January 30, 2015 (grants of 22'000 Euro per year are available for Swiss citizens). Students must have a bachelor with 180 ETCS points.

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NUM Homepage

PSI Division Research with Neutrons and Muons.