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 January/February 2012
16 January                                   Examiner/External examiner, Univ. of Oslo (Norway): B.C.Hauback, S.Sartori
17-20 January                             H2FC kick-off meeting, Karlsruhe (Germany): C.Frommen
18-19 January                             Workshop Chalmers Univ., Gothenburg (Sweden): G.Helgesen, K.D.Knudsen
20 January - 19 April                  Stay at Univ. of Hawaii (USA): T.D.Humphries
23-27 January                             Stoos (Switzerland): G.Kalantozopoulos
30-31 January                             Norwegian Synchrotron meeting, Stavanger (Norway): Hauback, Knudsen, Frommen, Sørby, Kalanzopoulos, Knaapila, Llamas, Hino, Olsen, Riktor.
30 January - 3 February            Complex Workshop (Brazil): H.Mauroy, P.Sobas
6-7 February                                SSH2S meeting, Petten (The Netherlands): G.Kalantzopoulos
6-8 February                                ESS Detector Group meeting, Lund (Sweden): I.Llamas
9-10 February                              IKON meeting ESS, Lund (Sweden): B.C. Hauback, I.Llamas, T.Haraldsen
13 February - 1 June                  SuperSTEM, Daresbury (UK): F.S.Hage
13-15 February                           COST meeting, Rome (Italy): B.C. Hauback
16 February                                 INFRA meeting, NRC, Oslo (Norway): B.C.Hauback
27 February - 2 March                MCARE conf. Florida (US): C.Frommen, S. Sartori
27 February - 2 March                Neutron Scattering Course, IFE (Norway)

Staff and students in the Physics department, February 2011