Neutron diffraction studies of a double-crystal (+n,-m) setting containing a fully asymmetric diffraction geometry of a bent perfect crystal with output beam expansion.

The neutron diffraction properties of a double-crystal (+n,-m) setting, which contains a bent perfect Si(311) crystal in the fully asymmetric diffraction (FAD) geometry with output beam expansion and a bent perfect Si(220) crystal in the symmetric diffraction geometry, are presented. Generally, there are two possibilities for the FAD geometry: either with output beam compression or with output beam expansion. In this case, attention has been focused on the latter. The properties of the (+n,-m) double-bent-crystal arrangement of a bent perfect crystal FAD Si(311) geometry, in combination with a bent Si(220) crystal slab in the symmetric diffraction geometry, were studied. It was found that, after beam expansion, this FAD geometry can provide a monochromatic beam of rather large cross section but very small divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]