Foreign media said that China has launched a new generation of neutron science facilities: it ranks among the powerful countries in this field.
overlooking China spallation neutron source park?
It was reported on November 17th that China is speeding up the operation of the next generation neutron generator, and will soon carry out experiments there, which makes China one of the few countries with intense pulsed neutron beam generator for studying the structure of matter.
It is reported that China spallation neutron source (CSNS) in Dongguan is a scientific research center with an investment of about 2.2 billion yuan, which will enable more and more top physicists, materials scientists and their international partners in China to compete in many physical and engineering fields. The designers also hope that this device can promote various commercial products and technical applications, from batteries and bridges to aircraft engines and cancer therapy.
Wang Xunli, a physicist from the City University of Hong Kong who participated in the planning of the device, said: "This is not only a big step forward for scientists in China, but also a major event in the international scientific community."
beam collision
It is reported that the spallation neutron source generates neutrons by colliding a proton beam with a metal target-China's spallation neutron source uses tungsten, which is more economical and safer than other methods using nuclear reactors to generate neutron beams. Because neutrons are uncharged, they can penetrate matter more easily than other detection tools, and are more sensitive to light elements such as hydrogen, so that they can be used to evaluate alternative materials for fuel cells. At present, such facilities only exist in Britain, the United States, Japan and Switzerland, while a similar facility in Sweden is under construction.
Fujio Maekawa, a neutron source expert at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Institute in Shojimura, Japan, said that although the neutron intensity produced by China's spallation neutron source is lower than that of other spallation neutron sources-meaning that the experiment will take longer-the planned equipment upgrade will make it reach the same level as other devices. Moreover, he pointed out that due to the scarcity of neutron sources, "users all over the world will always welcome new neutron sources."
China's spallation neutron source will be able to accommodate 2 beam lines, which can support 2 instruments. The initial tests of the first three spectrometers started on November 1st. Wang Fangwei, director of neutron science department of China spallation neutron source, said: "Neutrons arrived at the sample as scheduled." Although debugging may take several years, he predicted that by the end of 217, these instruments will be calibrated and ready for preliminary experiments.
Chinese physicists are eager to use this device to analyze the internal magnetism of materials, and China has rich experience in this field. Wang Xunli said that several planned spectrometers have given scientists the opportunity to go to the forefront of some fields, such as Siegel-vortex excitation in magnetic materials-physics and high temperature superconductivity. Wang Xunli said: "There are a large number of scientists in the early and middle stages of their careers who are eager to use this device to study magnetism."
Global Attraction
Wang Xunli believes that this latest device will encourage China researchers to stay in China instead of seeking career development elsewhere. He said: "In the past, it was often seen that China scientists went abroad to do such research."
It is reported that the first batch of instruments of the device also attracted international researchers. German material scientist Frank Klose said that China's spallation neutron source was an important reason why he and his wife Christina Rem, who are also material scientists, decided to join the newly established Guangdong Israel Institute of Technology. Guangdong Israel Institute of Technology is located in Shantou, about 4 kilometers east of Dongguan. Klose's main research direction is to design data storage devices and sensors that can be used in hydrogen-powered vehicles. He helped to design an instrument for studying the magnetism of spin electronic devices in this device, which uses electron spin to store data.
It is reported that more instruments are under construction.