Neutron techniques are used in disciplines as diverse as physics, chemistry, engineering, biology and archeology, and consists of bombarding a material with neutrons to obtain information about atomic structure and magnetism.

The ICMA Joint Center for Scientific Research Council and University of Zaragoza, has worked for two years in the development of a new neutron detector, and a radial collimator for the D1B instrument whose construction has been carried out by Spanish companies. The total funding amounted to 941,333 euros from the Ministry of Education and Science and contract ILL collaboration with the University of Zaragoza, both through the ICMA.

The new detector, which will replace the found in the CRG will reduce the measurement time by a factor 4 and improve the angular definition, which is useful in studies where it is necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of how diffraction peak. To achieve these improvements the new detector technology used MWGC He3, is 1.5 m radius of curvature, the effective height is 10 inches and covers 120 degrees with 1,200 channels of neutron detection.

An example of work of the ICMA, which take place there, turn around the magnets. Incredibly a car has about magnets and about 400 workers so that they become increasingly smaller and lighter, while more powerful. Among the many activities we can highlight ICMA neutron studies of magnetocaloric materials for refrigerators of the future, or magnetoresistive materials for new magnetic memory, or new materials for spintronics or quantum ordain, or magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications.

Also part of the work done by the ICMA in the ILL helped develop the first molecular magnets based on metal-free sulfur. This molecular magnet remains so far the record magnetic ordering temperature higher – explains project leader Dr Campo.

Spain in the field of neutron techniques

The applications of these techniques are not just in basic research or fundamental physics, but ranging from pharmacy to the Cultural Heritage through the Environment and Energy, Information Technology, biosciences and especially materials science. The ICMA has also received funds to manage for Spain the Spanish instruments of the ILL.

Spain has a very active in the field of neutron techniques worldwide continues to grow every day. And much of the credit must go to the Institute of Materials Science of Aragon (ICMA), Joint Center for Scientific Research Council and University of Zaragoza, which has been at the forefront in this field at national level for 25 years, organizing the first National School of Neutron beam techniques in Jaca in 1986, and similar ones that followed, and encouraging the entry of Spain and scientific member at the ILL in 1987 (the first country that came after its founders, France, Britain and Germany).

The ILL, the most intense neutron source at present and located in Grenoble, has 37 instruments, of which 10 are called “Collaborative Research Group (CRG). One of them, called D1B, is managed by the ICMA to provide service throughout Spain since 1998 and will remain so until at least 2013 and that its responsibility from the outset, the researcher Javier Campo ICMA has recently received two major projects Ministry of Education and Science and the CSIC, with a total value of 1,215,000 euros, to do so. Thus, the scientific community and national Aragon user of neutron techniques, provide experimental time in this instrument of ILL CRG dedicated exclusively to them.

Source: ICMA (CSIC-UZ)