Update on SHARPER
The SHARPER instrument at the ILL came online during the second 2024 reactor cycle, which run for 16 May to 9 June. SHARPER is a time-focusing time-of-flight spectrometer designed for quasi-elastic and inelastic scattering built and operated at the ILL by the Léon Brillouin Laboratory (Saclay, France) as a CRG (Collaborating Research Group) instrument.
The original instrument SHARP (Spectromètre Hybride Alpes Région Parisienne, former IN6) was upgraded in the framework of ILL’s Endurance programme through the SHARP+ project, which has just been completed.
The instrument has also been moved (through the roof of one of ILL’s guide halls (mp4 - 32 Mi)) to a new placement at the end of the new H15 neutron guide, designed and engineered at the ILL, which is the most complex neutron guide system ever realised.
To highlight the new features, it has been decided to rename the instrument SHARPER (Spectromètre Hybride Alpes Région Parisienne Etendu en Résolution).
Most of the cycle up to July 9 has been devoted to required control measurements, and some work such as alignment checks will be performed during the shutdown. While the first 2025 cycle will most likely be devoted to commissioning, the SHARPER team expects to welcome users soon.
The recent work and achievements, as well as the upgraded capabilities, are highlighted in the video.
The measurements performed on a reference sample already show a counting rate gain of one order of magnitude compared to IN6. A detailed analysis is underway to deliver more precise values.

Transfer of Sharp+ to the end of the H15 guide through the roof of the ILL guide hall - 1

Transfer of Sharp+ to the end of the H15 guide through the roof of the ILL guide hall - 2

Stéphane ROUX (Chef de projet technique - ILL) et Jean-Marc Zanotti (Chef de projet design & scientifique - LLB) lors de l'inauguration de SAM & SHARPER (4 juillet 2024).