POWTEX visits POWGEN

TL;DR

This paper reports on testing the POWTEX detector at the POWGEN diffractometer, demonstrating its capabilities with initial data, data reduction, and refinement results for two samples, advancing 3He-free neutron detection technology.

Contribution

It presents the first angular- and wavelength-dependent data of the POWTEX detector operated at a spallation source, showcasing its potential for powder and texture analysis.

Findings

First angular- and wavelength-dependent data obtained

Successful data reduction with Mantid software

Multi-dimensional refinement of diamond and BaZn(NCN)2 samples

Abstract

The high-intensity time-of-flight neutron diffractometer POWTEX for powder and texture analysis is currently being built to be operated in the eastern guide hall of the research reactor FRM II near Munich. Having heavily faced the world-wide 3He crisis in 2009, we promptly initiated the development of 3He-free detector alternatives that are tailor-made for the requirements of large-area diffractometers. Herein, we report about the 2017 enterprise to operate one building unit of the final POWTEX detector at the neutron powder diffractometer POWGEN at the Spallation Neutron Source of the Oak Ridge National Lab, USA. As a result, we present the first angular- and wavelength-dependent data of the POWTEX detector, current data-reduction steps as implemented in Mantid and also multi-dimensional refinement results of two samples (diamond and BaZn(NCN)2) by use of the GSAS-II software suite.