• cryogenic equipment
• standard cryostats assigned to instruments
• standard cryostats not assigned to instruments
• very low temperature facilities
• superconducting magnets
• furnaces for general use
• furnaces assigned to particular instruments
• ancillary equipment for three-axis instruments
• laboratories for sample preparations
• high pressure equipment
• Standard ILL continuously loaded high-pressure cells
• Standard ILL high-pressure clamped cells
• uniaxial stress

Top-loading cryostats (marked S) have a centre-stick with a M8 threaded stud at its bottom end (the sample is supported from above). The sample to cryostat or furnace interface is supplied by the user.

liquid Helium distribution

ILL does not have its own helium liquifier. Liquid helium is shipped to ILL in 100 liter dewars for current consumption. All requests for liquid helium should be made at least 48 hours in advance. Please arrange with your local contact to order your helium. Information is available on all instruments about how to order, how to get, and how to use liquid helium.

The transfer of liquid helium between the dewar and the cryostat is a rather tricky operation. If you are not familiar with transferring do not hesitate to call for assistance from your local contact or directly from the cryogenics service.

codes

- leading two or three digits:

internal ILL order number;

- first and second letter:

code of manufacturers :

- third and fourth letters:

code of the refrigerant mode :

 – last two digits:

maximum sample diameter in mm.

Example: 33 OX HV 16 is an Oxford liquid helium cryostat with a variable temperature insert for samples with a maximum diameter of 16 mm.<//font>

These cryostats are assigned to specific instruments. The scientific and technical staff of the instruments concerned are in charge for their upkeep. However major repairs and modifications are carried out in the Standard Cryostat Laboratory.

These cryostats are available on request. Sufficient advance notice to the Standard Cryostat Laboratory is required for their preparation.

The VERY LOW TEMPERATURE GROUP is responsible for the exploitation of the very low temperature cryostats. The adaptation of these systems to each experiment (instrument and sample) generally requires a considerable effort. The choice of the system and the scheduling of the experiment has to be made in agreement with the service. It is mandatory to contact the service at least one month prior to the date of the experiment. Due to new developments on one hand and breakdowns on the other, the availability of the facilities is subject to rapid changes.

The superconducting coils are allocated to specific instruments and cannot normally be used on other instruments. They are under the responsibility of the corresponding instrument responsibles. They may be used on other similar instruments, inside the instrument group, with the same responsibility as above. As for very low temperatures, the availability of the material is subject to changes, and early contacts with the instrument responsible have to be made.

These furnaces are stored and maintained by the High Temperature Group for general distribution. Please arrange with your local contact to order your furnace in good time, especially if there are special requirements, or modifications, or if only one furnace is available. The sample to furnace interface is supplied by the user.

Rt: room temperature

We list below those furnaces which are supported by the High Temperature group. Other furnaces may be available for certain instruments without the support of the group. In all cases the request should be made through the instrument responsible or technician.

The three-axis group has a pool of cryostats, displex and a cryomagnet available for use on the instruments IN1, IN8, IN14 and IN20. Requests for their use are made, through the local contact, directly. All three-axis instruments are now equipped with the programmable ILL Temperature Controller.

three-axis cryostats and displex

cryomagnet

Principal Characteristics: Oxford instruments split-pair assymetric vertical field cryomagnet

• gap: 40 mm;
• maximum sample volume: 50 mm diameter x 40 mm high;
• maximum field: 4.5 Tesla (to be increased to 6 T);
• temperature range: 0.05 K to 500 K.

furnaces

The group has two specially-designed furnaces. They can be loaded either from the top or bottom, are equipped with integral diffusion pumps, Nb heaters and screens in beam, and have a low temperature gradient (1 K) over the sample. The maximum sample dimensions are 40 mm diameter x 80 mm height; the maximum temperature is 1270 K.

glove box

A He gas glove box for preparation of (e.g.) hygroscopic or "fragile" samples is situated on IN3.

active laboratories

Two laboratories exist in the level C of the reactor buiding for the handling of radioactive samples:

• one equipped with a suite of glove boxes for the handling of a-emitters under the responsability of the Radioprotection Group.
• the other one is a Laboratory with a part equipped for handling b- or low g-activity samples or contaminated material. There is free access in this laboratory, but to use the active part, contact the Safety, Medical and Health Physics Unit (D.SPSE; page 17).

The pressure cells can be divided into two categories: those in which the pressure is transmitted directly from a pressure generator, and "clamp" devices which are pressurised away from the spectrometer.

IMPORTANT:

ALL USERS BRINGING THEIR OWN HIGH-PRESSURE EQUIPMENT TO THE ILL MUST PRODUCE THE NECESSARY SAFETY CERTIFICATES.

ALL PROPOSERS ARE REQUESTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ILL PRESSURE EXPERTS BEFORE SUBMITTING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL INVOLVING HIGH-PRESSURE WORK (melesi(at)ill.eu).

With standard cells the pressure can be continuously adjusted from 0 to pmax while the sample is in the beam. The cell is linked via a flexible high pressure capillary to a gas pressure generator, which can be located several meters away.

- (*) can be used up to 600 K.
- k : ratio external diameter/internal diameter of the cell, for the part surrounding the sample.
- "orange" cryostat : 1.6 K - 325 K, in which the cell fits.

Clamped cells are loaded to the desired pressure in a press (maximum load 200 kN), and then clamped by a locking nut before being transferred into the neutron beam, either directly or inside a cryostat.

- (*) sintered alumina, i.e. "diabolo".
- (**) Temperature range : 3 K - 325 K
- k : ratio external diameter/internal diameter of the cell, for the part surrounding the sample.
- "orange" cryostat : 1.6 K - 325 K, in which the cell fits.
- medium : pressure transmitting medium (liquid).

Uniaxial stress can be applied to single crystals. At present, 1 Ton load can be transmitted to the sample at any temperature below room temperature. Further developments include a high temperature uniaxial stress rig and also an apparatus for studies in presence of a magnetic field.