Three-dimensional (3D) Fast Neutron Tomography at the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS)

AbstractWe have constructed a neutron imaging station at the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS), located within the Center for the Exploration of Energy and Matter at Indiana University. In contrast to many existing neutron imaging stations, we utilize a broad range of neutron energies, extending into the fast neutron regime, to take advantage of the higher fluxes and larger penetrating power of these high-energy neutrons. The imaging station consists of a collimator to define the beam, a rotating sample stage, and a cooled charge-coupled device camera (Alta U6) using a scintillator. A LiF + ZnS screen is used to produce scintillation light. Typical image collection times are a few seconds for a aperture to sample distance ratio of 100, yielding a spatial resolution of 0.2 × 0.2 mm2. Examples of the scanned and calculated image are presented

Target Performance at the Low Energy Neutron Source

AbstractThe Indiana University Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) production target was recently upgraded to handle the high power 13 MeV proton pulsed beam. The target, a 2 inch diameter beryllium disk, is 1.2 millimeters thick allowing the 13 MeV protons to pass completely through the target and stop in the cooling water eliminating the buildup of protons inside the beryllium. This change along with upgrading the cooling water system has produced the most reliable target to date for LENS operations. Details about the failure modes will be presented

Testing quantum correlations in a confined atomic cloud by scattering fast atoms

We suggest measuring one-particle density matrix of a trapped ultracold atomic cloud by scattering fast atoms in a pure momentum state off the cloud. The lowest-order probability of the inelastic process, resulting in a pair of outcoming fast atoms for each incoming one, turns out to be given by a Fourier transform of the density matrix. Accordingly, important information about quantum correlations can be deduced directly from the differential scattering cross-section. A possible design of the atomic detector is also discussed.Comment: 5 RevTex pages, no figures, submitted to PR

Bcc 4^4He as a Coherent Quantum Solid

In this work we investigate implications of the quantum nature of bcc $^{4}$% He. We show that it is a unique solid phase with both a lattice structure and an Off-Diagonal Long Range Order of coherently oscillating local electric dipole moments. These dipoles arise from the local motion of the atoms in the crystal potential well, and oscillate in synchrony to reduce the dipolar interaction energy. The dipolar ground-state is therefore found to be a coherent state with a well defined global phase and a three-component complex order parameter. The condensation energy of the dipoles in the bcc phase stabilizes it over the hcp phase at finite temperatures. We further show that there can be fermionic excitations of this ground-state and predict that they form an optical-like branch in the (110) direction. A comparison with 'super-solid' models is also discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Thermodynamically accessible titanium clusters Ti_N, N = 2–32

We have performed a genetic algorithm search on the tight-binding interatomic potential energy surface (PES) for small TiN (N = 2–32) clusters. The low energy candidate clusters were further refined using density functional theory (DFT) calculations with the PBEsol exchange–correlation functional and evaluated with the PBEsol0 hybrid functional. The resulting clusters were analysed in terms of their structural features, growth mechanism and surface area. The results suggest a growth mechanism that is based on forming coordination centres by interpenetrating icosahedra, icositetrahedra and Frank–Kasper polyhedra. We identify centres of coordination, which act as centres of bulk nucleation in medium sized clusters and determine the morphological features of the cluster

Competing orders in a magnetic field: spin and charge order in the cuprate superconductors

We describe two-dimensional quantum spin fluctuations in a superconducting Abrikosov flux lattice induced by a magnetic field applied to a doped Mott insulator. Complete numerical solutions of a self-consistent large N theory provide detailed information on the phase diagram and on the spatial structure of the dynamic spin spectrum. Our results apply to phases with and without long-range spin density wave order and to the magnetic quantum critical point separating these phases. We discuss the relationship of our results to a number of recent neutron scattering measurements on the cuprate superconductors in the presence of an applied field. We compute the pinning of static charge order by the vortex cores in the `spin gap' phase where the spin order remains dynamically fluctuating, and argue that these results apply to recent scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) measurements. We show that with a single typical set of values for the coupling constants, our model describes the field dependence of the elastic neutron scattering intensities, the absence of satellite Bragg peaks associated with the vortex lattice in existing neutron scattering observations, and the spatial extent of charge order in STM observations. We mention implications of our theory for NMR experiments. We also present a theoretical discussion of more exotic states that can be built out of the spin and charge order parameters, including spin nematics and phases with `exciton fractionalization'.Comment: 36 pages, 33 figures; for a popular introduction, see http://onsager.physics.yale.edu/superflow.html; (v2) Added reference to new work of Chen and Ting; (v3) reorganized presentation for improved clarity, and added new appendix on microscopic origin; (v4) final published version with minor change

Spinor condensates and light scattering from Bose-Einstein condensates

These notes discuss two aspects of the physics of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates: optical properties and spinor condensates. The first topic includes light scattering experiments which probe the excitations of a condensate in both the free-particle and phonon regime. At higher light intensity, a new form of superradiance and phase-coherent matter wave amplification were observed. We also discuss properties of spinor condensates and describe studies of ground--state spin domain structures and dynamical studies which revealed metastable excited states and quantum tunneling.Comment: 58 pages, 33 figures, to appear in Proceedings of Les Houches 1999 Summer School, Session LXXI

Neutronic Design and Measured Performance of the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) Target Moderator Reflector Assembly

The Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) is an accelerator-based pulsed cold neutron facility under construction at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF). The idea behind LENS is to produce pulsed cold neutron beams starting with ~MeV neutrons from (p,n) reactions in Be which are moderated to meV energies and extracted from a small solid angle for use in neutron instruments which can operate efficiently with relatively broad (~1 msec) neutron pulse widths. Although the combination of the features and operating parameters of this source is unique at present, the neutronic design possesses several features similar to those envisioned for future neutron facilities such as long-pulsed spallation sources (LPSS) and very cold neutron (VCN) sources. We describe the underlying ideas and design details of the target/moderator/reflector system (TMR) and compare measurements of its brightness, energy spectrum, and emission time distribution under different moderator configurations with MCNP simulations. Brightness measurements using an ambient temperature water moderator agree with MCNP simulations within the 20% accuracy of the measurement. The measured neutron emission time distribution from a solid methane moderator is in agreement with simulation and the cold neutron flux is sufficient for neutron scattering studies of materials. We describe some possible modifications to the existing design which would increase the cold neutron brightness with negligible effect on the emission time distribution.Comment: This is a preprint version of an article which has been published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 587 (2008) 324-341. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.12.04

FREQUENCY AND TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF IH NMR OF TRANS-(CH)x

Nous avons étudié la dépendance en température (0,3K < T < 4,2K) et en fréquence (23MHz < f < 35MHz) du temps de relaxation spin-lattice TI des protons dans le composé trans-(CH)x. A 4,2K, nos résultats concordent avec ceux obtenus par Nechtschein et al. Quand l'échantillon est refroidi, TI s'allonge, et T-II=αf-1/2-β, où α et β sont des fonctions de la température. TI peut aussi être exprimé par TI= A exp(-Ɗ/T), où Ɗ = γH est l'énergie d'activation (et A et γ sont des constantes). Nous observons un facteur g égal à 3,3 pour l'énergie d'activation, ce qui suggère que nous sommes dans la limite de basses températures de la diffusion I-D de spins nucléaires tel que Clark et al. l'ont indiqué.We have carried out a study of the temperature (0.3K < T < 4.2K) and frequency (23MHz < f < 35MHz) dependence of the proton spin lattice relaxation time, TI, of trans-(CH)x. The data at 4.2K are in agreement with earlier measurements of Nechtschein et al. As the sample is cooled, TI continues to increase, with T-II=α f-1/2-β), where α and β are temperature dependent quantities. Alternately TI is expressed as an activated quantity, TI = A exp(- Ɗ/T), with Ɗ = γH (A and γ constant). The observed g factor of 3.3 for the activation energy suggests that we are in the low temperature limit for I-D nuclear spin diffusion as discussed by Clark et al