Neutron reflecting supermirror structure
AssigneeOvonic Synthetic Materials Company, Inc.
InventorJames L. Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved neutron reflecting supermirror structure comprising a plurality of stacked sets of bilayers of neutron reflecting materials. The improved neutron reflecting supermirror structure is adapted to provide extremely good performance at high incidence angles, i.e. up to four time the critical angle of standard neutron mirror structures. The reflection of neutrons striking the supermirror structure at a high critical angle provides enhanced neutron throughput, and hence more efficient and economical use of neutron sources. One layer of each set of bilayers consist of titanium, and the second layer of each set of bilayers consist of an alloy of nickel with carbon interstitially present in the nickel alloy.
Claims12
An improved neutron reflecting supermirror comprising a plurality of stacked sets of bilayers of high and low neutron scattering materials, said materials deposited upon a substrate, one layer of each of said sets of bilayers consisting of titanium and the second layer of each of said sets of bilayers consisting of an alloy including nickel and a microstructure enhancing element, carbon, interstitially present in the nickel alloy layer to modify the nickel crystal, wherein the microstructure enhancing element has a high neutron scattering potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.