The Orphée nuclear reactor in Saclay, started on Decembre 19th 1980 did deliver to the LLB spectrometers its last neutrons this afternoon.
Till a bit less that 40 years, LLB-Orphée welcomes on its 25 spectrometers, scientists comming from all over the world to perform a few hundreds of neutron scattering experiments each year. Using 25 instruments on hot, cold thermal beams, and on cold neutron guides, each experiment provides new insight in many scientific areas like polymers, reinforced polymers, colloïdal systems, surfaces and interfaces, quasi-crystals, strongly correlated electronic systems, oxyde dispersed steels, ...
Now the research teams of the LLB will continue to develop neutron scattering instrumentation for their scientific needs and for the French and International user cummunity. They will concentrate their efforts on new challenges. The first immediate one is the already started operation of the IN6-Sharp spectrometer at the ILL and the proposition of construction of the SANS machine SAM and triple axis GAPS at the ILL. The second one that will start beginning of November is the transfer of the SANS machine PA20 to the PSI near Zürich.
We will also strengthen our ongoing participation in the construction of 6 of the 15 instruments already scheduled to be build around the new European neutron source ESS in Lund that should start operation in 2023.
Finally we are now also heavilly focusssed on our new neutron compact source projects (SONATE). Last tests done this spring through the IPHI-neutrons project did provide very encouraging results.
