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For material science, the most important point in neutron powder diffraction experiments is not only high resolution, but also high experimental efficiency. Institute for Materials Research has constructed a new high efficiency powder diffractometer with multi-detectors system, HERMES, at T1-3 beam hole in the Guide Hall of the JRR-3 reactor of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute,JAERI. The main purpose of HERMES is to obtain high quality powder diffraction data by short time measurements with easy operation. HERMES is quite suitable for many cases of experiments such as follows;
In particular, HERMES is an important tool for crystal structure refinement of 3d-oxides, for instance perovskite manganites. Note that it is difficult to determine accurate structures of oxygen in alloys and compounds by X-ray diffraction technique. We should point out that HERMES can also determine magnetic structures at the same time. Moreover, HERMES shows good performance for S(Q) measurements in liquid,glass and soft materials because HERMES has a wide Q range. Typical duration time for a measurement is about 4,5 hours for crystal structure refinement, and about 10 hours for magnetic structure refinement. Typical volume of a powder sample is about 3cc. "Easy Operation" is another important performance of HERMES. For experiments on HERMES, users do not have to have any particular technique, knowledge and experience. You do not have to learn complicated commands for the operation. Everyone who can use conventional X-ray powder diffractometers will be able to use HERMES! We believe that HERMES can play important roles for investigation in Magnetic and Material Science and other scientific fields. In fact, HERMES is one of the most active machines in the facility. |
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