Furnaces (instruments)

These top-loading furnaces are characterized by their flexibility and transparency to neutrons. The outer furnace body is made of aluminium for use under high vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. All internal components in the neutron beam are made of thin vanadium or niobium foils. Heating is achieved by resistance heaters using low voltage and high current. A thermally decoupled heater and up to eight thermal shields guarantee small temperature gradients. Power is supplied by saturable self inductances. The temperature controller, which has a standard computer interface, is adapted for different types of thermocouples and has a PID algorithm. All standard furnace spare parts are held in stock at the ILL.

Long-term temperature stability is typically 0.1 % of the actual temperature and gradients are in the order of 0.1 to 0.5% of the actual temperature. The length of the heater element and an adjustable sample support allow for large samples and variable heights. Thermocouples close to the sample allow independent temperature reading and control in two distinct temperature ranges from room temperature to 1000°C and from room temperature to 1650°C.

If you wish to work above the maximum temperatures listed below, please contact us.

These furnaces are assigned to specific instruments. The scientific and technical staff of the instruments concerned are in charge of their maintenance. However, major repairs and modifications are carried out in the High-Temperature Laboratory.