Strategic Plan for ORNL NSSD Sample Environment 2010 to 2015

Sample Environment Mission

Develop, maintain, and operate a world-leading inventory of sample environment equipment for the neutron scattering instruments at SNS and HFIR, enabling world-class science on these instruments

Summary

  • The standard sample environment inventory needs constant attention and upgrade.  The sample environment group will continue to give this high priority.
  • A greater level of instrument-specific customization will be implemented (e.g. low background cryostat tails for TOF instruments).
  • Many new capabilities will be developed through small scale R&D projects led by scientific staff or SE team members. Mini-proposals will be reviewed by the SE steering committee
  • Low temperature and magnetic field capabilities will greatly improve as last year’s (or earlier) equipment orders are delivered, particularly at the SNS. New equipment testing and commissioning will be conducted the SE teams.
  • Special capabilities and signature themes will arise.  Possibilities include stroboscopic techniques (sample levitators with laser heating under development), and high field pulsed magnet techniques (an R&D collaboration has already delivered 30 Tesla Laue data )
  • Development of soft matter sample environments needs more attention, and new projects are underway

Status and Plans Grouped by Technical Area

High temperature

Worldwide
State-of-the-Art
  • 2000 K
  • Controlled gas atmosphere capability

ORNL Status 2009
  • 1600 K vacuum furnaces available
  • Sample cells needed
  • Prototype gas atmosphere furnaces and flow system

ORNL 2010 Plan
  • Design and test HT sample cans
    • Vulcan design, Swagelok/Vanadium tube 
  • Design and test horizontal tube SANS furnace
  • Commission Automated Gas Environment System at POWGEN
  • Test and commission aluminum cells to full operating pressure (6 kBar)
ORNL 2015 Goals
  • 2000 K +
  • User-friendly furnaces and gas atmosphere systems

Low Temperature

Worldwide
State-of-the-Art
  • Off-the-shelf cooling engines, customized for neutrons
  • 20 mK, 300 mK, 1.5 K, 4 K to 800 K
  • Special sample sticks for gas loading, photo-excitation, sample rotation
  • Instrument-specific low background tails
  • Specialized dilution fridges, rapid cool down (~3 hours) and 4-circle goniometer compatibility
  • High B/T (14 Tesla / 20 mK)
  • Automated sample changers
ORNL Status 2009
  • 300 mK, 1.5 K, 4 K to 800 K
  • On the verge of 20 mK and high B/T at SNS
  • Growing inventory of special sticks
  • Low temperature gradient “hot exchange gas” systems available
  • Prototype sample changer available
  • Needs: high B/T (HFIR), more top loading CCR’s (HFIR), low background TOF tails (SNS), continual upgrades, design & fab of more special sticks
ORNL 2010 Plan
  • Debug and commission two new dilution refrigerators, one cryogen-free helium-3 system, and three new top loading CCR’s at SNS
  • Equip existing Orange Cryostat and CCR with low background TOF tail
  • Purchase more top loading CCR’s for the HFIR
  • Refine Florida photo-stick and cell design
  • Commission FERNS sample changer on POWGEN
  • Design and fabricate gas sticks and gas manifold for top-loading CCR’s

ORNL 2015 Goals
  • Develop expertise among technical staff comparable to
  • Increase equipment pool in proportion to number of experiments
  • Broader range of special sticks and rigs, as dictated by proposal trends

High Pressure

Worldwide
State-of-the-Art
  • 1 GPa (10 kBar) gas pressure cell
  • 25 GPa anvil cells
ORNL Status 2009
  • 3 kBar gas pressure capability demonstrated
  • 10 kBar pressure generators available
  • SNAP developing 50 to 100 GPa anvil cells
ORNL 2010 Plan
  • Test and commission TZM cell (3 kBar)
  • Test sapphire cell to 1 kBar
  • Refine design of “PE-cell chiller”
  • Fabricate 4 kBar TiZr cell
ORNL 2015 Goals
  • 1 GPa gas cells
  • 100 GPa Anvils

Low-Q Environments

Worldwide
State-of-the-Art
  • Sample changers
  • Liquid pressure cells
  • Shear cells
  • Humidity cells
  • Liquid/solid interface cells
ORNL Status 2009
  • Sample changers
    • GP-SANS: 1st generation in service, 2nd under design
    • EQ-SANS: 1st generation design complete
  • Liquid pressure cells for SANS
  • Liquid/solid interface cell (needs refinement) 
ORNL 2010 Plan
  • Fabricate, test, and commission GP-SANS Sample Changer 2
  • Fabricate, test, and commission EQ-SANS Sample Changer 1
  • Evaluate case for high-field SANS magnet with dil-fridge insert
  • Fabricate liquid pressure cell for reflectometry
  • Refine liquid/solid interface cell design (BL-4b)
ORNL 2015 Goals
  • Sample changers
  • Liquid pressure cells
  • Shear cells
  • Humidity cells
  • Liquid/solid interface cells Specials cells

DC Magnetic Field Environments

Worldwide
State-of-the-Art
  • 14 Tesla with 20 mK dil-fridge (Oxford/HMI design)
    • Rare-earth booster insert enables 17 Tesla
  • Actively shielded split-pair magnets (SNS)
On the horizon
  • Dedicated magnet beam lines using 30 Tesla hybrid magnet design

ORNL Status 2009
  • Field strength is limited (6 Tesla) and no dil-fridge capability yet. Active shielding available at SNS. Prototype high temperature induction insert available (but not in general user program) at HFIR
ORNL 2010 Plan
  • Test and Commission 16 Tesla “Swiss” magnet at SNS (pending delivery from vendor)
  • Submit proposal for 30 Tesla dedicated magnet beamline at SNS
  • Purchase new workhorse magnets: 8 Tesla vertical magnet for HFIR and 10 Tesla vertical for SNS. New HFIR magnet should be compatible with an existing helium-3 insert (300 mK). Similarly for SNS (see below)
  • Debug and commission dil-fridge insert for SNS magnets (designed to fit all)
  • Implement dil-fridge rotation option
  • Begin to exploit the benefits of actively shielded magnets by conducting our first polarized-beam / magnetic field experiment at SNS
  • Evaluate demand and science case for induction heating insert; upgrade and commission it if warranted
  • Develop specification for horizontal or XYZ magnet system for SNS
ORNL 2015 Goals
  • World class combinations of high field, extreme temperature, extreme pressure, and polarized beam capabilities
    • 16 Tesla
    • 0.02 to 2000 K
    • Polarized beam optimization

Other Special Environments

  • Mini-coil pulsed magnet
    • Tohoku University, McMaster University, SNS collaboration
    • Off-line testing planned for October
  • Gas jet levitator with 3000C heating capability
    • Out for bid
  • Automated Gas Environment System
    • Western Kentucky University collaboration
  • Photo-excitation stick
    • University of Florida collaboration
  • TGA Furnace
    • Seeking funding
  • Small-scale / large impact projects

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