Polaris is the ideal complement to the high-resolution powder diffractometer HRPD. Its strengths lie in the rapid characterisation of structures, the study of small quantities of materials (as little as ~1mm³), the collection of data in rapid time (down to ~5 minutes) and the studies of materials under non-ambient conditions within complex sample environment equipment, such as high pressure cells or reaction vessels. The uniquely high flux of epithermal neutrons available at a spallation neutron source enable extremely short d-spacings, as low as 0.3 Å, to be measured on Polaris. The very wide Q range thus accessed is invaluable in the refinement of site occupancies and temperature factors in disordered materials, such as solid electrolytes and high Tc superconductors, using powder diffraction data.

The versatility of Polaris is reflected in the very broad range of scientific research performed on the instrument (see the science highlights). It has a strong research programme both in average structure determination, but also in local-structure (total-scattering) measurements. The instrument has been used for studies into new battery materials (ionic conductors, in-situ battery cells, industrially important battery materials), complex high-entropy alloys, toughened ceramics, small samples recovered from high-pressure synthesise, zeolites, and real time in situ studies (often involving complex gas-handling systems and temperature control). Please contact an instrument scientist for further information, or see the link below for a list of Polaris publications. Key applications include:

• Site occupancies and thermal vibration parameters
• Time-resolved measurements
• Diffraction studies of very small sample volumes
• Samples at high pressures
• Ab initio structure determination
• Studies of magnetic ordering
  

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A full list of Polaris publications can be found on ePubs.