Monte Carlo simulations are performed for a vertical S-shaped neutron guide for the cold neutron sources of the FRM-II, HZB and PSI reactors through the McStas software. The aim of our study is investigate a relation between the cutoff in the cold neutron spectrum and the sources. Results for the neutron flux at the sample position are presented for different supermirrors with m = 1, 2 and 3. The vertical S-shaped neutron guides additionally provide a vertical displacement between beam hole and sample position, which can facilitate the implementation and manipulation of sample environments.

High-resolution diffractometer is one of the first instruments of the set of 15 priority neutron scattering instruments to be installed at the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB). A basic project of this instrument consists of the existence of three guides through which neutrons pass from source to sample to guarantee maximum neutron flux at the sample position. In this study, we investigate guide geometry performance considering fixed diffractometer geometry and spatial arrangement. Comparisons between different guide shapes and supermirrors are performed using software based on the Monte Carlo method, McStas. Our conclusion shows that a better solution is splitting the initial flux into two different guides to obtain the maximum flux at the sample position.

The Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB) is a fundamental project that aims to turn Brazil into a self-sufficient country in the production of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals to supply the Unified Health System (SUS) as much as the private institutions. In addition, the RMB project describes other applications as irradiation and testing of nuclear fuels and structural material analysis, for instance. There are many techniques in the project to study structural aspects of materials, where neutron diffraction represents one of the priorities for implementation. This technique will take place mainly on two diffractometers on Thermal Neutron Guide 1 (TG1), namely Araponga, a high-resolution diffractometer, and Flautim, a high-intensity diffractometer. In this work, we study the performance of the Araponga diffractometer through McStas simulations with input produced by the MCNP code of the RMB core. We investigate the neutron flux values considering a state-of-art high-resolution diffractometer, and the results are promising since some simulated scenarios present values compatible with high-intensity devices.

Doping semiconductor oxides with trace amounts of non-native elements can improve their properties such as bandgap and conductivity. The lack of local techniques makes the precise characterization of these materials difficult. Among the few techniques capable of providing local characterization, those based on hyperfine interactions at probe nuclei have the advantage of being well established, probing the material homogeneously and completely, thus investigating different regions of material. Some of these techniques are also quite sensitive even at extremely low dopant concentrations. The perturbed angular correlation technique, combined with first-principles calculations, has recently been shown to be a powerful method for characterizing doped semiconductor oxides. In this paper, we present a brief review of the unique information extracted from the semiconductor investigation with such a complex approach, including semiconductor oxides doped with cadmium and other elements. A strong relationship between the local environment, including electronic structure, and the nature of the dopant and the native element of the doped oxides is also shown.