The HANARO neutron reflectometer with horizontal sample geometry; engineering designs and performance simulation

A new neutron reflectometer with a horizontal sample geometry was designed and is now under construction at the HANARO, 30 MW research reactor. It was originally built and operated at the H9-A beam port at BNL, and was relocated to HANARO in 2004. We performed simulations of neutron ray-tracing to evaluate the performance of all of the optical components of the instrument with a Monte Carlo technique using McStas code. The feasible wavelength of the incident neutron beam is 2.52 Å. It produces a q-range up to 0.126 Å− 1 with a supermirror as a deflector. Our studies indicated possibilities to improve the performance of the guide tube. Although the performance is limited (limited q-range and flux due to multiple reflections prior to the deflector), it promises to be the first reflectometer in Korea for the study of free surfaces, which is currently in demand.