The first neutron school focused on CANS facilities kicks-off

Jun 17, 2019
A unique three-day programme of lectures focusing on science and instrumentation for compact accelerator-driven neutron sources has kicked-off in Bilbao on Monday, 17 June. Until Wednesday, more than five dozens of students, scientific experts and lecturers will have the opportunity to interact and discuss neutron scattering techniques as a part of the first Bilbao Neutron School.

BILBAO – The first Bilbao Neutron School (BNS2019) is organised by ESS Bilbao and BC Materials on the premises of the Scientific Park of UPV/EHU, Campus of Leioa. The experts lecturing at the school come from prominent research centres based in Europe, including universities, international research facilities, and Compact Accelerator-driven Neutron Sources (CANS) projects. The school provides international students with a unique opportunity to get trained in neutron science and technology that can be applied at CANS.

 

CANS in the focus

BNS2019 is currently the only neutron school in Europe that focuses on science and instrumentation for CANS facilities. Its aim is to educate graduate and Phd students as well as young researchers in neutron scattering techniques and neutron instrumentation designed for CANS.

During the three-day programme, participants will learn about neutron sources in general, and expand their knowledge on neutron scattering techniques, instrumentation, detectors, and sample environment equipment. The school also aims to establish a link between the participants and university groups, new projects on CANS facilities, and large neutron scattering facilities.

 

What do CANS offer?

As a new type of research infrastructure, CANS will enable much broader and easier access to high-brilliance neutrons and help to address the problem of overbooking at current neutron sources. Thanks to CANS, universities and research centres will be able to host their own neutron institutes. CANS present new opportunities to perform neutron science, train students, prepare experiments to be carried out at large-scale facilities, and develop instrumentation.

Neutrons are unique probes which allow us to study the structure and dynamics of matter. Large neutron scattering facilities are based on research reactors or spallation neutron sources. The recent advancements in the accelerator technology and neutronics design have enabled the construction of high-brilliance neutron sources which are based on low energy proton accelerators. These sources will be play a significant role in future neutron science and technology. Traditionally, neutron sources are optimised to deliver the highest neutron flux. In contrast, CANS aim at maximising the brilliance of single neutron beams.

 

CANS projects in Europe

Several CANS projects are currently designed or envisaged in Europe:

  • HBS project (FZJ, Germany),
  • SONATE project (LLB & CNRS, France),
  • Martonvásár CANS project (Wigner, Hungary),
  • Legnaro target project (INFN, Italy),
  • ESS Bilbao project (Spain).

The projects listed above include the design of the machine (accelerator, targets and moderators) and the suite of optimised instruments. In order to secure the optimal performance of the facilities, instruments have to be designed in line with the parameters of the source.

 

Support from EU-funded projects and industry

The main sponsors of BNS2019 are industrial companies. The school is also supported by EU-funded projects BrightnESS² and SINE2020.

Partners: 
ESS Bilbao