Papers by Keyword: Supermirror

Abstract: Focusing neutron beam with wide wavelength range is an indispensable technique used to compensate for weak signals from tiny samples in various experiments using pulsed neutron beam generated from high intensity proton accelerator facilities, such as J-PARC. Aspherical supermirror device is one of the most effective optical devices for focusing neutron beam with wide wavelength range since it has no chromatic aberration. Stack of aspherical supermirror enables us to focus neutron beams with wide divergence. Thin mirrors with a millimeter thickness are required to minimize the absorption loss of incident neutron beams since the thickness of a mirror shadows the reflective area of the other mirrors. Previously, we developed a fabrication process of a precise millimeter-thick elliptical supermirror. This process consists of noncontact figuring by the numerically controlled local wet etching technique, the finishing of surface without degrading mirror shape by low-pressure polishing, and the ion beam sputter deposition of NiC/Ti multilayers on both sides of the mirror substrate to compensate for film stress. In this paper, we report fabrication of elliptical supermirror with a thickness of 1 mm and development of multiply-arranged neutron focusing mirror device using stacked 4 fabricated elliptical supermirror with a thickness of 1mm.

Abstract: Aspherical supermirrors are some of the most useful neutron-focusing optics. We aim to develop multiple aspherical supermirror devices using high-precision figured aspherical focusing supermirrors to focus neutron beams with high intensities, because multiple mirrors collect a very large beam divergence. Thin mirrors with millimetre thickness are required to minimize the absorption loss of incident neutron beams since the thickness of a mirror shadows the reflective area of other mirrors. However, it is difficult to fabricate thin mirror substrates with a form accuracy at the sub-micrometre level by conventional machining. Conventional machining deforms a substrate by machining force and spring back after machining causes figure error. Furthermore the deposition of supermirrors deforms the mirror substrate by film stress. Thus, we developed a new process of fabricating a precise millimetre-thick elliptical supermirror. This process consists of non-contact figuring by the numerically controlled local wet etching technique, the minimization of surface roughness without degrading form accuracy by low-pressure polishing with a polishing pressure less than about 7 kPa (1psi), and the ion beam sputter deposition of NiC/Ti multilayers on both sides of the mirror substrate to compensate for film stress. In this paper, we report on the fabrication results of aplano-elliptical mirror substrate with a thickness of 1 mm.

Abstract: The aspherical supermirror is among the most useful optics for focusing a neutron beam with a wide wavelength range. The improvement in surface roughness is essential for increasing the focusing gain. A highly efficient and high-precision fabrication process for the substrate of the aspherical mirror combining conventional precision grinding, numerically controlled local wet etching (NC-LWE) figuring, and low-pressure polishing was developed. Using this new fabrication process, plano-elliptical neutron-focusing mirror substrates were successfully fabricated with a figure error of submicrometer order and an rms surface roughness of less than 0.3 nm. In this report, the surface roughness of a quartz glass substrate for a neutron focusing supermirror was evaluated.

Abstract: Reflectometry technique in Centre de Recherché Nucléaire de Draria (CRND) is operational since 2002. The instrument is used for investigation of monochromators and supermirrors. In this communication, several monochromators: 10 and 40 nickel-titanium bilayers deposited on a float-glass substrate with different period are analysed. The investigation of magnetic multilayers (25 silicon-iron bilayers monochromator) is also performed. From the results, Bragg peaks were identified indicating the periodicity of the multilayers.