Development of a thermal neutron focusing device using neutron supermirrors

Osakabe, Toyotaka  ; Soyama, Kazuhiko  

Neutron focusing is an indispensable technique used to compensate for weak signals in experiments under extreme conditions with tiny samples. We describe the development of a thermal neutron focusing device for a typical triple-axis neutron spectrometer. The device has a length of 400 mm and is placed between the second collimator and the sample position. The focal length is 150 mm from the downstream end of the device. The optic has 18 pieces of the circular blade consisting of 3m NiC/Ti neutron supermirrors. The extensions of the end of each blade meet at the sample position, namely the focal point. Neutrons undergo successive reflection through the same angle from the inner surface of each blade and arrive at the sample position. The test results show that the gain of the neutron intensity at the sample position increases by a factor of two or more for the neutron energy below 30.5 meV.