Unlocking the Inner Secrets of Matter With Next-Generation Neutron Mirrors

Improved neutron mirrors can increase the efficiency of material analysis in neutron sources such as the European Spallation Source, which is being built outside Lund, Sweden. The improved mirror has been developed by researchers at Linköping University by coating a silicon plate with extremely thin layers of iron and silicon mixed with boron carbide. Their study has been published in the journal Science Advances.

“Instead of increasing the power on the neutron source, which is extremely expensive, it’s better to focus on improving optics,” says Fredrik Eriksson, researcher at the Thin Film Physics Division at Linköping University.