Applications

Beamline Neutron and X‑ray Techniques

Neutron and X-ray scattering are vital techniques using magnetic fields to probe material structure and dynamics. HTS-110, leveraging expertise like Dr. Taotao Huang's, provides specialised, cryogen-free High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets engineered specifically for demanding synchrotron and neutron beamline environments worldwide.

Technical Discussion

HTS-110 has a proven track record, supplying advanced cryogen-free magnet systems to leading neutron and synchrotron facilities globally, including ILL (France), BESSY (Germany), ALBA (Spain), ISIS (UK), ANSTO (Australia), BNL (USA), LNLS (Brazil), NUS-SSLS (Singapore), MLZ (Germany), and many others.

Our systems, utilising state-of-the-art HTS materials (including high-performance REBCO conductors), are specifically designed to overcome key beamline challenges and offer significant advantages over traditional LTS technology.

Advance your materials research with HTS-110's compact, high-performance beamline magnets: designed for seamless integration, operational simplicity, and maximum experimental versatility.

Magnetic Fields as Essential Sample Environments

Integrating magnetic fields into scattering experiments is critical for unlocking a deeper understanding across numerous scientific domains. Researchers utilise these fields to:

Study complex magnetic ordering (e.g., ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism) and magnetic excitations (e.g., magnons).
Induce and investigate field-dependent phase transitions in novel materials.
Probe magnetic structures and interfaces in thin films and multilayers, crucial for spintronics research.
Align magnetic moments for specific experimental geometries and anisotropic studies.
Perform element-specific magnetic measurements using techniques like X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD).

HTS-110 provides robust, user-friendly, and precisely engineered magnet solutions tailored to enable these sophisticated experimental setups.

Read about the World-First 12 Tesla All-HTS Magnet for Neutron Science we’ve sent to the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL).

Cryogen-Free HTS for Beamlines

The HTS-110 Advantage: Core Technology Benefits

Truly Cryogen-Free Operation: Eliminates dependence on liquid helium, drastically reducing operational costs, logistical burdens (storage, handling, supply volatility), and infrastructure complexity. Enables deployment in diverse facility settings without dedicated cryogenic support.
High Field Potential: HTS technology enables fields exceeding the limits of LTS magnets (e.g., 12 T neutron magnet at ILL), opening new frontiers for studying phenomena under extreme conditions. Emerging 2G HTS technology with even higher current density paves the way for future higher-field scattering magnets.
Enhanced Stability: HTS materials offer greater thermal stability margins compared to LTS, leading to more robust and reliable operation with reduced susceptibility to training or premature quenching.

Beamline Integration & Design

Compactness & Low Mass: Higher HTS current densities allow for smaller, lighter magnets. This is critical for integration into space-constrained beamlines, enabling mounting on standard goniometers (e.g., 6-circle goniometer at BESSY) for sample and field rotation, and is especially important for magnets integrated directly into UHV chambers.
Wide Beam Access: Intelligent designs, including split-pair configurations, incorporate large apertures (e.g., up to 180° horizontal, ±20° vertical, 150° horizontal for neutron systems) for incident and scattered beams, maximising experimental flexibility.
Versatile Orientation: Rigid support structures allow reliable operation in any orientation (vertical, horizontal, or intermediate field directions), facilitating integration with diverse beamline setups.
VTI Integration: Designed for straightforward compatibility with standard Variable Temperature Inserts (VTIs), allowing combined studies across wide ranges of temperature (e.g., 4 K to >600 K with ANSTO 5T magnet) and magnetic field.

Performance & Operational Advantages

Low Fringe Fields: Expert design incorporating passive shielding (e.g., substantial iron yokes) or active shielding minimises stray fields, and optimised coil geometry precisely controls zero-field regions. This is crucial for sensitive beamline instrumentation and essential for polarised neutron experiments, ensuring neutron beam polarisation is maintained (validated fringe fields <1 mT @ 0.5m for ISIS 3T magnet; <1.5 mT @ 1m for MLZ 2.2T magnet).
UHV Compatibility: Proven experience in engineering systems for seamless integration into Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) environments (validated down to 10⁻¹⁰ mbar at SSLS), vital for surface-sensitive X-ray techniques. Designs accommodate bakeout procedures (e.g., >100°C at ALBA & SSLS) without damaging HTS coils.
Fast Ramping: Enhanced thermal stability of HTS allows for rapid magnetic field changes (e.g., 1.6 T/min sweep at ALBA; <40s field reversal at SSLS), enabling efficient exploration of field-dependent phenomena and increasing experimental throughput.
Versatility: HTS-110 magnets are often versatile, suitable for multiple scattering techniques on a single beamline.

Neutron Scattering Techniques

HTS-110’s cryogen-free magnets enhance a wide range of neutron scattering experiments by providing precisely controlled magnetic field environments. Our magnets are versatile and support multiple techniques:

Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS)

Probes nanoscale magnetic structures, domain sizes, and flux lattices. Examples:

5 T Horizontal Magnet (ANSTO),
3 T Horizontal PNS Magnet (Juelich, ISIS, ILL),
3 T Vertical Magnet (NIST),
3 T Magnet (JRR-3),
2.5 T Magnet (TUM),
2.2 T Asymmetric Magnet (ESS).

Polarised Neutron Reflectometry (PNR) & Scattering (PNS), Neutron Reflectometry

Investigates magnetic layering, spin structures, and field-dependent effects in thin films, multilayers, and layered structures, critical for spintronics. HTS-110’s specialised magnets offer stable, tunable fields with minimised stray fields essential for maintaining neutron polarisation (validated ~98.5% spin transport efficiency at MLZ). Examples:

5 T Horizontal Magnet (ANSTO),
3 T Horizontal PNS Magnet (Juelich, ISIS, ILL),
3 T Vertical Magnet (NIST),
2.2 T POLI Magnet (MLZ),
2.2 T Asymmetric Magnet (ESS),
3 T Magnet (JRR-3),
12 T Asymmetric Split-Pair Magnet (ILL).

Neutron Diffraction

Analyses atomic and magnetic crystal structures. HTS magnets provide the high fields needed to study field-induced magnetic phases, align magnetic moments, or perform experiments on instruments like POLI at MLZ. Examples:

2.2 T POLI Magnet (MLZ),
12 T Asymmetric Split-Pair Magnet (ILL),
2.5 T Magnet (TUM),
2.2 T Asymmetric Magnet (ESS).

Three-Axis Spectroscopy (TAS) & Time of Flight (TOF) Spectroscopy

Characterises dynamic processes and excitations (e.g., magnons). Consistent, stable fields provided by HTS magnets improve data quality for accurate energy measurements. Examples:

12 T Asymmetric Split-Pair Magnet (ILL),
2.5 T Magnet (TUM),
3 T Magnet (JRR-3).

$X-ray Scattering and Diffraction Techniques$

X-ray Scattering and Diffraction Techniques

HTS-110 magnets are widely integrated into synchrotron X-ray experiments, enabling cutting-edge materials research:

High-Resolution Diffraction

Enables detailed analysis of crystal structure and magnetic ordering under applied fields. HTS-110 provides highly compact magnets designed to fit within standard Eulerian cradles, maximising experimental flexibility. Examples:

>6 T / 5 T Rotatable Magnets (BESSY),
6 T Magnet (LNLS XDS beamline).

Resonant & Non-Resonant Magnetic Scattering (incl. RSXS)

Probes magnetic structures, orbital ordering, and complex phenomena. Requires stable fields and precise orientation control, often achieved with goniometer-mounted HTS magnets or magnets integrated into UHV chambers. Examples:

2 T UHV Magnet (ALBA, rotatable),
2.5 T Magnet (BNL),
2 T Magnet (ANL),
0.8 T UHV Magnet (BESSY/PAL),
>6 T / 5 T Rotatable Magnets (BESSY).

X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD)

An element-specific probe of magnetic moments, vital for understanding magnetism in complex materials. HTS-110 delivers specialised magnets, including compact UHV-compatible systems and fast-ramping options, enabling rapid field reversals for high-throughput measurements. Examples:

2.2 T UHV Magnet (NUS-SSLS),
2 T UHV Magnet (ALBA),
0.8 T UHV Magnet (BESSY/PAL).

Other Techniques (XAS, PES, NEXAFX)

Systems also support X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS)/Imaging and Photo-Emission Spectroscopy (PES)/NEXAFX, often requiring demanding UHV compatibility and specific access geometries. Examples:

8.6 T Photo-Emission/NEXAFX Magnet (NIST/BNL, UHV Compatible).

Peer-Reviewed Publications & Facility Reports

The performance and integration of HTS-110 beamline magnets are documented in various technical papers, conference proceedings, and facility reports. Key examples include:

MLZ’s POLI Instrument: Precision polarized neutron studies.
“Polarized neutron diffraction using a novel high-Tc…”
MLZ SANS Magnet: A versatile 3T ‘workhorse’ for multiple SANS beamlines.
Information in “MLZ News,” 2018 & facility reports
International Neutron Facilities (ANSTO, ISIS): Tailored HTS magnets, including 5T systems and low-fringe-field designs.
“HTS 5 Tesla Synchrotron and Neutron Beamline Magnets”

ALBA’s BOREAS Beamline: Rotatable UHV magnet for resonant scattering.
“Integrating UHV…and HTS…magnets for x-ray synchrotron…”
Singapore Synchrotron Light Source (SSLS): Dedicated XMCD magnet.
“A Commercial HTS Dipole Magnet for…XMCD…Experiments”
Brazil’s LNLS: High-field (>6T) X-ray diffraction & spectroscopy magnet.
Experiment research is on LNLS XDS beamline pages
BESSY’s MAGS Instrument: Pioneering 5T synchrotron magnet.
“HTS 5 Tesla Synchrotron and Neutron Beamline Magnets”
X-Ray Scattering Environments: Compact rotating in-plane magnets.
“Compact Rotating In-Plane HTS Magnet…”

Explore facility reports, conference proceedings, and academic search engines for more on these projects and other HTS-110 magnet applications.