Spallation Neutrons and Pressure Diffractometer at SNS
Spallation Neutrons and Pressure Diffractometer.
The SNAP Diffractometer allows for studies of a variety of powdered and single-crystal samples under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. The increased neutron flux, coupled with large-volume pressuring cells using large synthetic single-crystal opposed anvils, allows significant advances in the pressure range accessible to neutron diffraction. The pressure goal is 50 to 100 GPa on an ≈1-mm3 sample on a routine basis. In addition, recent advances in next-generation detectors allow the incident beam-focusing optics, pressure chamber, and detector array to be highly integrated, thus providing a highly flexible facility for materials studies under extreme conditions.
SNAP schematic.
Applications
SNAP offers new opportunities for scientific studies involving the following:
- Hydrogen under extreme conditions.
- Elastic anisotropy of ε-iron at Earth core conditions.
- Real-time in situ monitoring of “real rocks” as an analogue to the down-going slab in the subduction context.
- Planetary ices—structure and strength of ices under pressure.
- Silicate melts—glasses at high pressure and temperature and the dynamical changes occurring during heating and pressurization.
- Strength and rheology of materials and the relationship to brittle and ductile failure, including stress release as a function of time.
- Structural changes accompanying transitions in Fullerenes and their derivatives.
- Hydrogen bonding in organic and inorganic systems as a function of pressure and temperature, including liquids.
Instrument Scientists
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