Aerodynamic levitation device for neutron scattering experiments.

Abstract

We present a newly developed aerodynamic levitation (ADL) setup designed specifically for neutron diffraction and spectroscopy experiments, enabling the study of oxide, metallic, and ceramic melts. This system allows stable levitation of dense metallic spheres up to 4 mm in diameter, within a vacuum-tight chamber engineered for precisely controlled atmospheric conditions. By employing two 100W lasers for heating from above and below, temperature gradients are minimized. The accessible scattering angle of 150° makes this setup well-suited for neutron scattering instruments, offering new possibilities for both, structure and dynamic studies of liquid-state materials, as shown in Fig. 1. Samples are levitated using a nozzle providing the necessary gas flow, which is masked by an aperture system to minimize Bragg scattering from the equipment, effectively avoiding unwanted background signals. As a result, the system achieves a high signal-to-background ratio, allowing for accurate neutron measurements in shorter data acquisition times. We will present initial experiments demonstrating the capability of this setup for in-situ studies of crystallization behavior of lunar regolith, a topic of interest for additive manufacturing in space applications. Additionally, we have investigated the liquid structure of PdNiS glass-forming alloys with focus on the influence of sulfur on glass formation as appealing model system for investigating structure-dynamics relationship. The facility’s compact and robust design makes it a valuable tool for neutron studies. In the future, this aerodynamic levitation setup will be accessible to the scientific community at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), broadening opportunities for high-precision material research.