Enhanced co-operation in neutron research: an agreement between FZ Jülich and ILL

The ILL (Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France), and the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) intend to cooperate more closely in research and development in the field of neutron instruments and technologies. This was agreed during the visit of Dr Ken Andersen, the new ILL Director General, to Jülich. Jülich CEO Prof. Astrid Lambrecht and Dr Andersen signed a declaration to this effect.

The links between the two institutes are already very close. The ILL is mainly financed and managed by France, the United Kingdom and Germany, and FZJ is its German shareholder. In addition, the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) has been operating its own instrument at ILL for many years and is involved in the operation of other devices.

Dr Andersen and Prof Andreas Meyer, the German associate Director at ILL discussed with  Prof. Astrid Lambrecht and Prof. Stephan Förster, Director of the Jülich Institute for Neutron Scattering and Soft Matter the future tasks and goals of the research facility with the German members of the ILL Steering Committee. The programme of the visit also included discussions on German neutron research and strategy and the activities of Forschungszentrum Jülich, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and cooperation between European neutron facilities. 

This agreement will provide a valuable basis for further boosting neutron research in Europe.