Thermal up-scattering of very cold and ultra-cold neutrons in solid deuterium

Abstract

The work presented in this thesis forms part of a program at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to construct a high intensity superthermal ultra-cold neutron (UCN) source based on solid deuterium as UCN production medium. We carried out a set of experiments to gain a better understanding of the properties and the behaviour of solid deuterium as a cold neutron moderator and ultra-cold neutron converter. We present the measurements of the total neutron cross section as obtained by transmission studies with very cold neutrons and ultra-cold neutrons in solid deuterium. The experimental set-up and the methods of data analysis are described and also the procedure of preparing the solid deuterium samples is given. The neutron transmission studies are supported by optical investigation of the crystal and by Raman spectroscopy. We have thus characterised the temperature dependence of the neutron transmission through solid deuterium and we have been able to identify the role that coherent neutron scattering plays for the investigated deuterium samples.