A simple system for neutron diffraction at 4 K and elevated pressures

Christopher J Ridley; Nicholas P Funnell; Colin Offer; Craig L Bull

doi:10.1063/5.0012508

A simple system for neutron diffraction at 4 K and elevated pressures

Rev Sci Instrum. 2020 Jun 1;91(6):063302. doi: 10.1063/5.0012508.

Authors

Christopher J Ridley¹, Nicholas P Funnell¹, Colin Offer¹, Craig L Bull¹

Affiliation

¹ ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.

PMID: 32611043
DOI: 10.1063/5.0012508

Abstract

We describe a unique cryogen-free closed-cycle refrigerator system using a beryllium-copper VX1 variant of the Paris-Edinburgh press, which enables approximately 3 GPa to be generated on a sample volume of 66 mm³, over the temperature range of 4 K-300 K. The main advantage of this system is its versatility; it has been designed to be fully compatible with the PEARL neutron powder-diffraction instrument at the ISIS facility, but is also compatible with several other instruments at the facility with minor modifications. We provide a full description of the system, along with representative data collected on PEARL from MnF₂ at 13 K and 2.4 GPa.