Establishment of a virtual neutron diffraction experimental environment using a compact neutron source and experimental verification using a limestone sample

Xu, P. G.   ; Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi ; Iwamoto, Chihiro*; Kobayashi, Tomohiro*; Abdul, M.*; Takanashi, Takaoki*; Shibayama, Yuki; Otake, Yoshie*; Kodama, Katsuaki   ; Vogel, S. C.*; Shobu, Takahisa  

Unlike the well-established neutron diffraction materials evaluation techniques based on large neutron facilities with proton accelerators and research reactors, the high-resolution neutron diffraction technique based on compact neutron sources is thought as a challenging R&D endeavor. Key obstacles include weak neutron flux, restricted neutron flight paths, low signal-to-noise ratios, and prolonged proton beam pulse durations. A virtual neutron diffraction experimental environment was established using the McStas neutron ray-trace simulation package and other related software to optimize the on-site neutron diffraction experiment using the RIKEN compact neutron source (RANS). Neutron diffraction measurements were employed to examine the virtual experimental environment and confirm the reliability of RANS in-house neutron diffraction: a BCC iron powder sample (0.5, and 4.5 hours) and a textured limestone (calcite, CaCO, space group R2/c) standard sample (14.5 hours). The good Rietveld-fitting results suggest that the neutron diffraction technique using the RIKEN compact neutron resource has good potential for analyzing the structures of complex crystal samples.