Real-space neutron scattering without collimation: SESANS at the Delft University of Technology

Spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering (SESANS) is a real-space [1] scattering technique that does not need any collimation to obtain high resolution. In this article, we present the SESANS instrument at the Delft University of Technology [2], which measures microstructures on length scales between 20 nm and 20 μm. In order to discuss the technical issues with the choice of precession devices, we will present the principle in this article in reciprocal space. We have applied the technique to a wide variety of samples, amongst which are colloidal phase transitions [3] and aggregation processes in dairy products [4]. In this article we show two other examples: artificial lattices [5] and cream cheese [6].