Neutron scattering techniques are highly versatile and powerful tools for studying the structure and dynamics of condensed matter. A wide scope of problems, ranging from fundamental to solid state physics and chemistry, and from materials science to biology, medicine and environmental science, can be investigated with neutrons. In addition to scattering, non-diffractive methods like imaging techniques allows for non-destructive inspection of materials and components, providing information on their internal structure, composition, and integrity with growing relevance also for industrial applications.
The spallation neutron source SINQ is a continuous source - the first and only one of its kind in the world - with a flux of about 1014 n/cm2/s. Beside thermal neutrons, a cold moderator of liquid deuterium (cold source) slows neutrons down and shifts their spectrum to lower energies. These neutrons have proved to be particularly valuable in materials research and in the investigation of biological substances.
SINQ operates as a user facility, meaning that scientists and research groups from around the world can apply for beamtime to conduct experiments using its various neutron instruments.
Latest News
The II-26 call for proposals is closed now and the users have been informed of the results on 10 July. The next proposal submission deadline is scheduled for 15 January 2027. For further information, please follow the link below.
Latest Scientific Highlights and News
An achromatic neutron lens
Neutrons provide exceptional insight into materials, owing to their sensitivity to light elements, isotopic composition, magnetic moments, and high-penetration. However, neutron sources are polychromatic and of low brightness. Neutron optics provides a route ...
Beyond Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya: anisotropy-driven compact spin textures for low-power spintronics
Demand for denser, lower-power data storage keeps rising, yet the metallic magnets behind most memory technologies dissipate energy through electrical currents. Magneto-electric insulators on the other hand offer an alternative...
Toward Hydrogen Isotope Separations through Strong Hydrogen Adsorption at Open Copper(I) Sites in an Ultramicroporous Metal−Organic Framework
Metal−organic frameworks with coordinatively unsaturated metal sites (open metal sites) capable of engaging in orbital interactions with π-acidic gases are of interest for enabling ambient-temperature gas separations, such as hydrogen isotope separations. In view of the weakly π-acidic nature of H2, we sought...
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