SBIR-STTR Award

Light, X-ray and neutron scattering experiments are widely used for materials studies, particularly biochemical and pharmacological research. Scattering reveals size, shape, and cohesion between macromolecules in fluid solution. National facilities are fully equipped with X-ray and neutron scattering beamlines, and many laboratories have their own lab-based X-ray systems. However, no lab-based neutron scattering systems currently exist. The challenges have been creation of a suitably powerful lab-based neutron source coupled to a compact experimental setup, an efficient detector, and time-of-flight protocols. We propose coupling a compact, yet powerful lab-based neutron generator to a compact experimental setup, an efficient detector, and the use of a time-of-flight protocol. This first-ever lab-based neutron scattering system will be designed and fabricated by a former NIST neutron scientist with over 20-yrs experience. The base instrument, a pulsed neutron imaging system, will be made available, hence a short 6-month evaluation period is sufficient to generate basic instrument performance data. The design of the neutron collimator and moderator greatly impact instrument performance. The workplan will experimentally test two collimator designs. The workplan will collect time-of-flight data to be used in the design and simulation of a low-temperature moderator. Instrument performance will be reviewed by potential customers. Neutron scattering is a critical component of polymer and pharmacology structure optimization. While US national facilities provide access to neutron scattering experimentation, the overload at these facilities strongly indicates the need for lab-based systems similar to the commercially available X-ray scattering instruments.