Feasibility of neutron diffraction on solid 3He

Abstract

We have investigated the feasibility of neutron diffraction from solid 3He. The experiment will be performed at the HMI, first aiming for the properties of the antiferromagnetic ordering in the BCC phase and the ferromagnetic order in the HCP phase. Signal and beam heating considerations are essential to account for the enormous neutron absorption cross section of 3He. The study shows that neutron diffraction and transmission experiments are possible, relying on the experience gained from the neutron diffraction experiments on Cu and Ag at nanokelvin temperatures. A pressure cell has been developed which complies with the conflicting demands arising from the neutron and ultralow temperature aspects of the experiment. This work is a first step in an extensive effort to characterize 3He by neutron diffraction.