Services for Advanced Sample Environments

The Advanced Sample Environment Service provides support to both scientific users and instrument teams for carrying out their experiments: preparation of equipment, assistance with setup and operation, management of equipment-sharing across experiments, provision of fluids and cryogens, etc.

Equipment Controllers Software Safety Out-of-hours support

Highlights & updates

New 12 Tesla high-Tc magnet

The world's first all high-Tc superconducting magnet for neutron scattering is available on D23 but also on three-axis spectrometers and some other diffractometers. Financed by the CEA, this system is the result of a close technical partnership between HTS-110 and the ILL.

40 Tesla down to 2 K

Perform neutron diffraction experiments up to 40 Tesla and 2 K with our pulsed field magnet on IN22. Designed and built by LNCMI-Toulouse, the coil produces a horizontal field up to 40 T with the 1.15 MJ transportable power supply. The coil is installed inside a cryostat developed by our team. As for counting times, only a few hours are generally necessary to measure the field evolution of a Bragg peak. This project was financed by the Agence National de la Recherche.

Easy crystal alignment in cryostats

Request our Goniostick for aligning your sample in a cryostat or cryomagnet. We have developed a Goniostick for cryostats and cryomagnets based on the idea of Berneron et al. This non-magnetic goniometer fits inside Ø38 bore cryostats and provides ±7° sample tilt with 0.02° resolution. Controlled manually or remotely with NOMAD, it is available with Cryopad, the 10 T magnets for TAS and TOF instruments, and the 4 T horizontal field magnet.

Dilution fridge insensitive to gravity

Did you know that you can perform an experiment with a 100 mK dilution refrigerator mounted in the cradle of D10? This world-unique gravity insensitive dilution refrigerator is operated in closed loop in order to conserve ³He.

Cryocradle in Cryopad

With our Cryocradle, a non-magnetic Eulerian cradle cooled down to 4 K, carrying out Spherical Neutron Polarimetry experiments on D3 with Cryopad has never been so easy. A second Cryocradle is now available to reduce beamtime losses by cooling one sample while the other is in the beam.

0.04 - 300 K made easy

Change the temperature setpoint and let it do the work for you. Our new gas handling systems for dilution inserts (GHS-DI) cover the 40 mK - 300 K range automatically.

17 Tesla on SANS

To book the horizontal field 17 T cryomagnet, please contact E. Blackburn (Lund Univ.). This magnet provides a +/-11° scattering angle down to 100 mK (sapphire windows).

Langmuir trough

Based on a Microtrough G1 by Kibron, this Langmuir trough is optimised for neutron reflectometry and features sapphire neutron windows, contactless temperature control, PTFE-coated aluminuim troughs for fast temperature changes, and of course area or surface tension regulation.

Quick links

Support

Out-of-hours support is provided in cryogenics during operating cycles. Local contacts, please call 66850 to reach our experts.

Booking equipment

The use of our equipment is organised in shared calendars. You can check your bookings, look for availabilities and submit requests (Restricted Access).

Ordering liquid helium

Please order your helium at least 48 hours in advance so that we can satisfy your needs.

Having trouble with an Orange cryostat?

Take a look at our Trouble Shooting Guide.

Safety and magnets

Please take care in the vicinity of cryomagnets! The mechanical stops must always be installed and checked before starting an experiment.

Helium recycing

Our commitment to the environment began more than five decades ago. Since 1972, we have delivered more than 3.004.549 litres of liquid helium to the instruments and recycled 89% of this precious natural resource. At today's prices, this represents savings of more than 140.3 M€.

Feedback

Give us your feedback. Be assured that we will carefully review all suggestions.

Do you have a pioneering idea that could change the way we provide support to our users, or perhaps an innovation that could allow our users to carry out innovative experiments? Either way, we value your opinion and welcome ideas on how we can improve.