Time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy: a new application of aerodynamic sample levitation

A new version of a laser-heated aerodynamic levitation apparatus that enables the study of high temperature liquids by neutron spectroscopy is presented. This levitator was developed to be used on the IN6 neutron Time-Of-Flight (TOF) spectrometer at the European High Flux Neutron Source of the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France. This device overcomes earlier restrictions to small sample sizes as routinely used for neutron diffraction studies on levitated liquids at high temperature, and makes other improvements in signal-to-noise ratio. A factor of more than three increase in sample volume in combination with the high flux and low background instrument IN6 makes quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) studies on levitated molten oxides feasible. Here, we present results of a first QENS experiment towards the study of the relaxation dynamics of a molten CaO-Al2O3 sample. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)