ISIS is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford in the United Kingdom. Our suite of neutron and muon instruments allow the properties of materials to be understood at the scale of atoms.
We support a national and international community of more than 2000 scientists for research into subjects ranging from clean energy and the environment, pharmaceuticals and health care, through to nanotechnology, materials engineering and IT.
News and Events
Monday 09 January 2012
The ISIS Practical Neutron Training Course is aimed at PhD and post-doctoral researchers who have little or no experience of neutron scattering, but whose future research program aims to make use of neutron scattering techniques.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
ISIS will be running a week-long training school on the use of muon spectroscopy starting on 19th March 2012. This will include a variety of lectures and workshops on the muon technique given by experienced researchers, and also the chance to perform muon experiments.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
The hugely successful collaboration between ISIS and Japanese research institutes RIKEN and J-PARC has been highlighted during the UK-Japan Joint Commission on Science and Technology Cooperation held in London, Monday 28 November 2011.
Monday 24 October 2011
A new fast-track programme to widen the use of neutron and muon beams for industry research is now available at Oxfordshire’s ISIS Neutron and Muon Source at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Engineers and scientists at STFC’s ISIS neutron source faced nervous moments on Friday (11 November 2011) when a new £4 million instrument that took five years to design and build, was lifted and lowered into its fixed position by a 30 tonne crane.
Target Station 2
Monday 06 June 2011
After years of planning, building has begun for the first of the ISIS Second Target Station phase two instruments.
The £145 million ISIS second target station project was completed in 2009 on time and to budget. All seven Phase One neutron instruments are operational.
The Phase Two Instruments Project at the ISIS second target station will build four new instruments together with the necessary advanced detectors, electronics and software.
Three key research themes guide the design of the Second Target Station.
Science at ISIS
Monday 09 January 2012
Neutron scattering experiments have given a new insight into how E. coli bacteria, often associated with food poisoning, kill each other in the evolutionary competition for food and space. This breakthrough could be fundamental in developing new ways to treat illnesses such as food poisoning or meningitis.
Tuesday 08 November 2011
Scientists at ISIS use neutron reflectivity and small-angle neutron scattering to uncover more about the mysterious drug amphotericin.
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Neutron diffraction and computer simulation are used to study the structure of ionic liquids, which are widely used to conduct chemical reactions.
Wednesday 16 November 2011
The newly commissioned Let spectrometer on the ISIS Second Target Station, combined with the vertical-opening 9 T magnet and dilution refrigerator insert, offers unparalleled opportunities for probing atomic dynamics with high resolution and wide coverage in all three momentum directions.
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Studies at ISIS reveal important information about the behaviour of a post-perovskite.
Making an impact
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Xpress beam time is becoming an increasingly popular service amongst ISIS users. Running for the past four years, the Xpress service offers users the opportunity to run test experiments or check sample quality before applying for a full beam time proposal.
Wednesday 09 March 2011
The scientific and technical collaboration between ISIS and the Basque Country has been celebrated by a visit from the President of the Basque country, Patxi Lopez, on Tuesday 8 March 2011.
Thursday 09 July 2009
ISIS studies river water samples to help researchers understand and improve water resources across the European Union.
