Science at the ISIS second target station
Target Station 2
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Three key research themes guide the design of the Second Target Station.
As the world ’s leading spallation neutron source, ISIS has contributed significantly to many of the major breakthroughs in materials science, physics and chemistry since it was commissioned in 1985. Notable successes include:
- the determination of the structure of high temperature superconductors and fullerenes
- the study of excitations in highly correlated electron systems and quantum fluids
- the behaviour of complex fluids, such as surfactants, polymers and proteins, at interfaces
- high pressure studies of crystalline materials
- the structure of super-critical fluids
- the microscopic understanding of the operation of catalysts
Future: Science
The science case for the Second Target Station presented to funding partners demonstrated that ISIS can continue to make significant contributions in three key areas of science:
The high yield of long-wavelength, low-energy neutrons over a broad spectrum with high resolution will enable a significant step forwards in the exploitation of neutrons to solve problems in these areas.
The Second Target Station Project will keep the UK at the forefront of neutron research and enable scientists to continue to make breakthroughs in materials research for the next generation of super-fast computers, data storage, sensors, pharmaceutical and medical applications, materials processing, catalysis, biotechnology and clean energy technology.
