KWS-3, the new focusing-mirror ultra small-angle neutron scattering instrument and reflectometer at Jülich

In Julich, a new high-resolution small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument and reflectometer has been built. The principle of this instrument is a one-to-one image of an entrance aperture on a 2D position-sensitive detector by neutron reflection on a double-focusing toroidal mirror. It permits to perform SANS studies with a scattering wave vector resolution between 10(-3) and 10(-4) angstrom(-1) with considerable intensity advantages over pinhole-SANS instruments. To date, KWS-3 is the worldwide unique SANS instrument running on this principle. We present here the characterization of the image produced by the mirror and a measurement of the scattering from a diffraction grating. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.