Frank
Laboratory
of Neutron Physics

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Development of the spectrometers complex

The successful solution of scientific problems using thermal neutron scattering to a large extent depends on the efficiency of the experimental equipment and the software with which it is operated. One of the most significant units of any facility is the detector system that should ensure the registration of scattered radiation in the required range of angles with optimal parameters of temporal and spatial resolution. Direct registration of neutron radiation is impossible due to the lack of an electric charge in neutrons. It is achieved by positioning a certain substance (converter) on the path of thermal neutrons, in interaction with which nuclear reactions occur with the production of charged particles and γ-quanta. And this secondary radiation is already registered using standard methods for detecting charged particles. To implement this scheme for registering neutron radiation, various detectors are developed using all isotopes as converters that meet the increasing requirements for spatial and temporal resolution with high registration efficiency. It requires development of novel technologies and approaches to technical solutions that reveal the merits of each isotope as applied to detectors designed to solve their range of tasks.

It is no less important to be able to efficiently operate the units of the facility to select the required spectral range in the extracted beam, beam cross section, angular divergence and others. The required configuration of the facility in a particular dimension is provided by various positioning devices in space and in time. At the same time, the accuracy of implementing operations for installing an individual unit of the facility in a particular position or state should be maximum, so that the joint operation of various units ensures the maximum resolution of the facility as a whole. This also applies to the sample environment devices that set certain conditions on the object under research: temperature, pressure, magnetic field and other conditions. The fine adjustment of external parameters allows one to obtain more accurate data about the object or phenomenon under investigation. Ensuring precise settings, visualization and remote control of the experiment is carried out by a combination of the use of high-precision mechanical devices, electronics and software. All together, in addition to the neutron source itself, determines the quality of the facility and its relevance to experimenters.