The Spin-Polarized Inelastic Neutron Spectrometer (SPINS) is a powerful research tool located at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It operates in multiple modes to study various materials and phenomena through neutron scattering experiments.
In conventional triple axis mode, SPINS uses a vertically focusing pyrolytic graphite monochromator to produce neutron beams with wavelengths ranging from 2.42 to 5.84 angstroms. The energy resolution ranges from 0.02 to 1 millielectronvolt, depending on the incident wavelength and collimation. Higher-order neutron contamination is minimized using PG and Be filters before and after the sample.
SPINS also features horizontal focusing capability through a multi-crystal analyzer with 11 PG blades, which is fully automated and controlled from the instrument computer. However, this functionality is currently unavailable.
In polarized beam mode, SPINS employs supermirror transmission polarizers consisting of a stack of single-crystal Si plates with Fe/Si supermirror coatings in both the incident and scattered beams. This setup enables the measurement of spin-dependent neutron scattering phenomena, providing valuable insights into the properties of magnetic materials and systems.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/ncnr/spin-polarized-inelastic-neutron-spectrometer-spins
Keywords: Neutron scattering, Spin polarization, Supermirror coatings, Single-crystal Si plates, Magnetic materials
