ANSTO's research capabilities, led by the OPAL nuclear research reactor and associated instruments provide access to users investigating areas as diverse as materials, life sciences, climate change and mining/engineering.
Instruments
Thirteen neutron beam instruments are either operational or under construction at the new OPAL reactor. ANSTO expects to add more instruments within five years. The facility has the capacity for further expansion, including potential for a second neutron guide hall.
A suite of sample-environment equipment will enable studies at different temperatures, pressures and magnetic fields. Scientific references are available for most of our instruments.
7 Operational Instruments (named after Australian fauna): |
ECHIDNA High-Resolution Powder Diffractometer (Tachyglossus aculeatus) |
| WOMBAT High-Intensity Powder Diffractometer (Vombatus ursinus) |
KOALA Laue Diffractometer (Phascolarctos cinereus) |
| KOWARI Strain Scanner (Dasyuroides byrnei) |
| PLATYPUS Neutron Reflectometer (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) |
| QUOKKA Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (Setonix Brachyurus) |
| TAIPAN Thermal 3-Axis Spectrometer (Oxyuranus scutellatus) |
| Beryllium-filter option on TAIPAN - due for completion in 2014 |
6 Instruments commissioning, under construction or in design (named after Australian fauna): |
| PELICAN Time-of-Flight Spectrometer (Pelecanus conspicillatus) - first neutrons in 2011 - commissioning |
| SIKA Cold Neutron 3-Axis Spectrometer (Cervus nippon) - first neutrons in 2012 - commissioning |
| KOOKABURRA Ultra Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (Dacelo novaeguineae) - due for completion in 2013 |
| DINGO Neutron Radiography/Imaging/Tomography (Canis lupus dingo) - due for completion in 2013 |
| BILBY 2nd Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Instrument (Macrotis lagotis) - due for completion in 2014 |
| EMU High-Resolution Backscattering Spectrometer (Dromaius novaehollandiae) - due for completion in 2014 |
X-ray Instruments (3), Computing Infrastructure and other Facilities |
| SAXS (Bruker and Hecus Small Angle X-ray Scattering) Instruments |
| X-ray Reflectometer |
| "Joey" Neutron Laue Camera for single-crystal alignment |
| Analysis of neutron scattering data using modelling methods |
| Sample-Environment Apparatus |
| Helium-3 Polarisation System |