Planning and Simulating Neutron Spin Echo Experiments

High resolution neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful techniques to study the dynamics of soft matter [1]. The SNS-NSE spectrometer [2] located at the BL-15 of the Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the first, and to date, the only one “classic” NSE spectrometer installed at a pulsed neutron source. Typical applications of the NSE spectrometry are studies of molecular motions at the nano- and mesoscopic scale.



While the data reduction programs such as DrSPINE [3] provide the experimenters with data that they can analyze and model, the complexity and limited access to the NSE instruments require careful planning for a successful experiment. We will show the capabilities of PySEN package that aids SNS-NSE users with planning, simulating, and optimizing experiments. A preliminary machine learning algorithm that produces a smooth detector phase map will also be presented.



References:

[1] M. Monkenbusch, D. Richter, C. R. Physique 8 (2007) 845

[2] M. Ohl et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A 696 (2012) 85-99

[3] P.A. Zolnierczuk et al. J. Appl. Cryst. (2019). 52, 1022-1034