HERITAGE: the concept of a giant flux neutron reflectometer for the exploration of 3-d structure of free-standing and solid interfaces in thin films

TL;DR

HERITAGE is a novel neutron reflectometer concept designed to provide unprecedented high flux and 3D structural analysis of thin film interfaces, combining specular and off-specular reflectometry with GISANS.

Contribution

It introduces a new instrument design with specialized neutron guides and modular collimation, enabling comprehensive 3D interface studies with higher flux and flexibility than existing setups.

Findings

Achieves higher flux than current reflectometers and GISANS instruments.

Allows simultaneous reflectivity and GISANS measurements from multiple directions.

Supports static and kinetic studies of solid and liquid interfaces.

Abstract

The instrumental concept of HERITAGE - a reflectometer with a horizontal sample geometry - fitted to the long pulse structure of a neutron source is presented. It is dedicated on creating a new class of reflectometers achieving the unprecedentedly high flux for classical specular reflectometry combined with off-specular reflectometry and grazing incidence small-angle scattering (GISANS), thus resulting in a complete 3-d exploration for lateral structures in thin films. This is achieved by specially designed neutron guides: in the horizontal direction (perpendicular to the scattering plane) it has an elliptic shape and focusses neutrons onto the sample. In the vertical direction it has a multichannel geometry providing a smooth divergence distribution at the sample while accepting the whole beam from a compact high-brilliance flat moderator. The modular collimation setup of HERITAGE provides an extremely high flexibility in respect to sample geometries and environments, including the possibility to study all types of solid and liquid interfaces statically or kinetically. Moreover, the use of multiple beam illumination allows for reflectivity and GISANS measurements at liquid interfaces both from above and below without any movement of the sample. This concept assures that reflectivity and GISANS measurements can be performed in its best way as the maximum possible and usable flux is delivered to the sample, outperforming all present-day or already planned for the ESS reflectometers and GISANS setups in flux and in measuring time for standard samples.