Axisymmetric Neutron Analyzers to Enable Efficient Powder Neutron Diffractometers

State-of-the-art thermal neutron sources are large expensive national facilities, which serve a diverse community of scientific and industrial users. The need to improve the performance of neutron instruments stems from the fact that most neutron methods are limited by the available flux, even at high-flux facilities. Many neutron methods cannot be used effectively at small sources available at universities and industrial laboratories. Thus, the efficient use of neutron flux is important for the progress and broader use of these neutron techniques. We present a novel design of an axisymmetric analyzer for powder diffraction to enable polychromatic cold and thermal neutron diffractometers, which will have much higher throughput than existing instruments and enable diffractometers at small reactors or even laboratory neutron generators. At the large neutron sources, such analyzers would enable fast screening of multiple samples or measuring kinetic processes.