Highlights from the magnetism reflectometer at the SNS

The magnetism reflectometer at the SNS has passed the phase of commissioning and is in operation for users. The high power of the neutron source demands that special attention be paid to the optimization of the background in order to be able to measure the two-dimensional maps of reflected and scattered intensities with polarized neutrons in a broad range of momentum transfer. It implies an effective separation of the magnetic and non-magnetic reflectivity, off-specular scattering and the grazing incidence SANS in a high range of momentum transfer. Therefore the polarizing and the analyzing efficiencies are of particular importance on this time-of-flight instrument. At the beginning of July 2008 the world's first He-3 neutron analyzer with on-line pump-up polarization was successfully installed and the tests with a magnetic multilayer film showing a strong off-specular spin-flip scattering were made. The performance of the instrument is under constant improvement in order to make it an effective and optimal instrument for the applications in nanosciences. Published by Elsevier B.V.