PITSI: The neutron powder diffractometer for transition in structure investigations at the SAFARI-1 research reactor

The high-performance neutron powder diffraction instrument, PITSI, is located at the SAFARI-1 research reactor in South Africa. It supports both low and high temperature sample environments to facilitate in-situ parametric studies of crystallographic and magnetic phenomena covering the temperature r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2018-12, Vol.551, p.422-425
Main Authors: Venter, Andrew M., van Heerden, Phillipus R., Marais, Deon, Raaths, Johannes C., Sentsho, Zeldah N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Angular dispersive diffractometer
Apertures
Computer simulation
Control equipment
Crystallography
Data reduction
Diffraction
Fast neutrons
Gamma rays
High temperature
Magnetic shielding
Modernization
Monte Carlo simulation
Neutron beams
Neutron flux
Neutron powder diffraction
Neutrons
Radiation measurement
Radiation shielding
SAFARI-1 research reactor
Sapphire
Software
Stitching
Thermal neutrons
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Summary:The high-performance neutron powder diffraction instrument, PITSI, is located at the SAFARI-1 research reactor in South Africa. It supports both low and high temperature sample environments to facilitate in-situ parametric studies of crystallographic and magnetic phenomena covering the temperature range 1.5–1800 K. This facility has recently undergone a substantial modernization program in which all aspects of the beam delivery, conditioning and instrumentation have been upgraded. The primary neutron beam delivery system was optimised using Monte Carlo methods. Fast neutron and gamma radiation levels emanating from the radial beamline are suppressed within the biological shielding through the use of a vertical input-aperture and a 160 mm length sapphire filter located in the primary beam channel. Their use in conjunction with a vertically focussed monochromator has been found to minimally influence the useful thermal neutron flux component. Resolution and intensity optimization are achieved by having both the horizontal and vertical focuses of the monochromator variable. A resolution of Δd/d = ∼3 × 10−3 is achieved at a sample-detector distance of 1600 mm. The data acquisition and control system is standardised on the SINQ Instrument Control Software. In-house data reduction software enables flat field correction, geometric correction, vertical integration, normalization, data cropping and frame stitching.
ISSN:0921-4526
1873-2135
DOI:10.1016/j.physb.2017.12.017