Muons are used at ISIS in a similar way to neutrons – they give information on the atomic-level properties of materials. Many things can be studied using muons – from magnetism and superconductivity to polymers and chemical reaction dynamics.
First muons at ISIS were produced on a single beamline and instrument on 23 March 1987 at around 11-00am. Since then the muon facilities at ISIS have grown from one to seven experimental areas, including the Japanese-funded RIKEN-RAL muon facility.
Over the past 25 years, over 1000 science publications have come from the ISIS muon instruments, and many hundreds of researchers have visited ISIS to use muons.
The 25th anniversary was marked by birthday cake at ISIS on Friday 23 March, cut at about the time first muons were produced. Steve Cox, one of the founders of muons at ISIS, blew out the candles on the cake.
Philip King, ISIS Muon Group Leader, said ‘The ISIS muon instruments have been very productive over the past 25 years across a wide range of science areas – we’re looking forward to many further years of muon science at ISIS.’
The ISIS Muon Training School was run from 19-24 March, for post-graduate and post-doctoral researchers from the UK and Europe to learn more about using muons in their research. It was very nice to have the next generation of muon users present at the 25th anniversary celebration.
