Physics

The department utilizes neutron beams from the JEEP II reactor to explore materials and their potentials in a growing number of applications, such as hydrogen uptake in metals for energy storage, superconductors, liquid crystals, polymers, complex molecular structures, and magnetic behaviour.

The use of neutrons is often the only way to see what happens inside such materials because of neutrons penetrating power and their sensitivity to magnetic atoms. In addition, neutrons are also more sensitive than X-rays to light elements such as hydrogen and carbon, which make them uniquely useful for studying hydrocarbons and biological materials. Instead of developing new materials "by guess or good luck", neutrons may therefore be a crucial tool to design new materials with preferred properties.

At the JEEP II reactor, a series of advanced neutron diffractometers and spectrometers are tailormade to explore the various materials properties. The activity constitutes a national laboratory for basic materials research and technology. The department has a broad collaboration with Norwegian universities and industries, and with several foreign universities and research institutes. Training of students is offered every year through a national intensive course in neutron scattering and its interpretation.

Events April - May 2012
20 January - 19 April               Stay at Univ. of Hawaii (USA): Humphries
13 February - 1 June               SuperSTEM, Daresbury (UK): Hage
12 - 13 April                               Offshore security course (North Sea): Opel
17 - 20 April                               Reflectometry and ESS meeting, Berlin (Germany): Frommen
17 - 20 April                               ENSA and ESS meeting, Berlin (Germany); Knudsen
18 - 20 April                               ESS meeting, Berlin (Germany): Llamas, Cai
23 - 25 April                               Bor4Store kick-off meeting (Germany): Hauback, Deledda
25 - 26 April                               Sintef Marintek, Trondheim (Norway): Opel
26 - 27 April                               Disputas, Stavanger (Norway): Knudsen
30 April - 11 May                        Lab.works, NTNU, Trondheim (Norway): Mauroy
2 - 3 May                                     Neutron meeting, Chalmers (Sweden): Sørby
7 -10 May                                   Task 22 meeting, Heidelberg (Germany): Hauback
22 - 25 May                                Complex meeting, Lofoten (Norway): Helgesen, Knudsen
30 May - 1 June                         SNX meting, Grenoble (France): Hauback

Staff and students in the Physics department, February 2011