VITESS 2.10 – Virtual instrumentation tool for the European Spallation Source

Abstract

The VITESS software package is a useful tool for the development of neutron scattering instruments. Although initially intended to assist in designing new instruments for the European Spallation Source, it can also be used effectively to simulate complex instrument set-ups at continuous, short-pulsed or long-pulsed sources. This article outlines the conceptual design of the VITESS program and describes new features included in the most recent version of the package, VITESS 2.10. These include the possibility to split parts of the simulation into several threads which improves efficiency on multi-processor computers. New components for elliptic mirrors, lenses and beam-stops have been added. The neutron guide module now permits the visualization of neutron trajectories. Results of the simulation of the EXED instrument at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin are presented as an example of the program's use. New features implemented in release 2.11 or planned for release 3 are described.

A Concept for a Multipurpose Time-of-Flight Neutron Reflectometer at Compact Neutron Sources

“…This can be slightly manipulated by design. Here, values for a typical polarizer were used, i.e., about 0.2 m. Monte Carlo simulations using the VITESS (Virtual Instrumentation Tool for the ESS (VITESS) version 3.4, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Berlin, DE and Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, DE) software package polarization modules [19] with a standard polarization configuration are presented in Figure 9. The modules used in the simulations were pol_mirror and f lipper_gradient (before and after the sample position).…”

“…A permanent value of the amplitude can also be given. The second part of the general field is a guide magnetic field [19].…”

A Rietveld refinement method for angular- and wavelength-dispersive neutron time-of-flight powder diffraction data

“…Because of the fact that the POWTEX instrument is currently under construction on beamline SR5a at the FRM II neutron source, real experimental data sets are not available yet. Nonetheless, it is mandatory to (approximately) know the POWTEX data ahead of the instrument's realization, for obvious reasons; this may be accomplished as follows: instrument simulation programs using Monte Carlo methods (Lefmann & Nielsen, 1999;Lieutenant et al, 2014;Wechsler et al, 2000;Zsigmond et al, 2006) may be used in order to obtain data sets that closely resemble those that will be obtained by the instrument in the future. Consequently, the VITESS program package (Lieutenant et al, 2014;Wechsler et al, 2000;Zsigmond et al, 2006) was utilized to simulate data sets based on instrumental parameters of the POWTEX diffractometer.…”