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Neutron Powder Diffractometer

The Neutron Powder Diffractometer (NPDF) is a high-resolution total-scattering powder diffractometer located at Flight Path 1 and 32 meters from the spallation neutron target. It comprises 20 detector panels with a total of 160 position-sensitive detectors in the backscattering region of the instrument. The NPDF is designed for pair distribution function (PDF) studies of disordered and nanocrystalline materials, but it is equally well-suited for high-resolution crystallographic studies. The instrument is available to general users.


The shutter of NPDF opened for the first time in September 2002. During the rest of the 2002 run cycle, NPDF produced over 300 experimental data sets.

(A standard data set suitable for PDF analysis can be obtained in only two hours). These results put NPDF at the cutting-edge of local structure determination and also serve as a development platform for this new structure analysis tool for disordered and nanostructured materials.


The NPDF project was funded by the National Science Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Michigan State University, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Virginia, and State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as Los Alamos National Laboratory.

NPDF PDF sheet
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Thomas Proffen,
505-665-6573
Instrument Scientist

Los Alamos National Laboratory • Est. 1943