Neutron beam focusing using large-m supermirrors coated on precisely-figured aspheric surfaces

Abstract

We have developed a 1-dimensional elliptic mirror combining a supermirror coated with ion-beam sputtering and precise elliptic surface figured with the numerically-controlled local wet etching process. In this study, NiC/Ti supermirror (m = 4) was deposited on a precisely figured surface of synthesized quartz glass over 90 mm × 40 mm. Wideband neutrons of λ > 3.64Å were focused with focal spot size down to 0.25 mm, peak intensity gain up to 6 without significant diffuse scattering. Time-of-flight measurements suggest that wideband neutrons are effectively focused to the focal point.