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ePaper created 2012-11-06, 16:43:12 | version 1.24.0
62 Forschungszentrum Jülich | Annual Report 2011 ESS Project – Expertise for the Grand Design A neutron spin echo spectrometer can make movements – even those that are very slow – visible in media such as proteins. Proteins – long molecules with multiple folds – are involved in almost all processes of life. The instrument with the complicated name allows biol- ogists and pharmacists new insights in- to how proteins work. And materials re- searchers are also set to benefit from the most powerful version of this type of instrument in the world, which will be set up at the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund, Sweden. ESS is a collaborative project involving seven- teen European countries. From 2019, it will generate intensive pulses of neu- trons. As the neutral components of atomic nuclei, these particles are ideal “scouts” for investigating structures and processes in matter. Neutron spin echo spectrometers have already helped, for example, to ex- plore the movement of long-chain mole- cules in plastics. One of these instru- ments – operated by the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) – is sited at the FRM II research reactor in Garching, another at the most powerful spallation source in the world, SNS in Oak Ridge, USA. The latter was built at Jülich and is the only instrument of the fourteen at SNS operated by a European institution – JCNS. “We are using our know-how and expertise to develop a spin echo spectrometer tailored to suit ESS per- fectly,” says Dr. Andreas Wischnewski, head of ESS instrumentation at JCNS. Experience at SNS has helped the scien- tists on their way to creating an innova- tive instrument concept with a specially designed magnetic field generated by superconducting coils. Modifications will also be required as the neutron pulses of ESS will have different proper- ties compared to the pulses of SNS. Improved plans In addition to the neutron spin echo spectrometer, JCNS is also optimizing other instruments and components. Jül- ich’s Central Institute for Technology (ZAT) and Central Institute for Electron- ics (ZEL) are also working on improving the plans for the main components of ESS during the design-update phase, which will continue until 2013. The Jülich contributions are coordinated by the ESS Competence Centre, which was set up in 2011 and is also headed by Wisch- newski. The relevant German collabora- tive project is being funded by the Fed- eral Research Ministry (BMBF) to the tune of € 15 million. The Helmholtz cen- tres in Berlin, Geesthacht and Dresden, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the DESY accelerator centre and TU Mu- nich are involved in addition to Jülich. BMBF appointed Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt, member of the Board of Direc- tors of Forschungszentrum Jülich, coor- dinator of the German contribution to ESS. Schmidt is also on the ESS Adviso- ry Committee. The neutron spin echo spectrometer at the European Spalla- tion Source in Sweden could look something like this. Jülich scientists are optimizing this instrument which will provide materials researchers, biologists and pharmacists in particular with new insights. ESS on YouTube ESS website