Wimpory, R.C. ; Mikula, P. ; Saroun, J. ; Poeste, T. ; Li. J. ; Hofmann, M. ; Schneider, R.: Efficiency boost of the materials science diffractometer E3 at BENSC: One order of magnitude due to a horizontally and vertically focusing monochromator. Neutron News 19 (1) (2008), p. 16-19
Abstract:
The recent performance boost of E3, the residual strain and texture diffractometer at the HMI, Berlin, has enhanced significantly the experimental turnover as well as the quality of the measurement results. The instrument was equipped with a new vertically focusing and horizontally bent perfect Si single crystal monochromator, which optimizes the figure of merit for residual stress experiments. The increase in the figure of merit compared to the previous monochromator is more than a factor of 10. Diffraction is one of the most effective ways of determining residual stress fields non-destructively and the three main types of diffraction methods, laboratory X-ray, high energy (synchrotron) X-ray, and neutron diffraction, have their own individual advantages. Neutron diffraction has the advantage of high penetration depth in all common crystalline engineering materials. For good quality and fast measurements an instrument must be as highly optimized as possible to serve the residual stress community efficiently.