China's neutron instrument for microscopic structure and dynamics observation passes acceptance review

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's first high-energy direct-geometry inelastic neutron scattering time-of-flight spectrometer, an instrument for observing the structure and dynamic properties of matter at the microscopic level, has passed official acceptance review, according to its developer, the Sun Yat-sen University, on Sunday.

If conventional scientific instruments are likened to the human eye, the spectrometer acts as a super-powered camera with extraordinary capabilities. It can capture the static structure of materials and track atomic and molecular movements at a picosecond, or one-trillionth of a second, according to the university based in south China's Guangdong Province.

A key advantage of the spectrometer lies in its use of neutrons, which have no electrical charge and a high penetration power. This allows the device to detect microscopic motions directly. When neutrons undergo "inelastic collisions" with atomic nuclei, changes in their speed and direction provide scientists with clues about internal material dynamics.

The equipment is expected to provide information on microstructure dynamics, involving fields such as high-temperature superconductivity, quantum magnetism and ion diffusion, serving scientists across multiple disciplines, including physics, chemistry and biology, according to the university.