Patent ID: 7214948

Claim:
A neutron optical component for the technique of measuring neutron small angle scattering with a plurality of pinhole diaphragms of a neutron-absorbing material, each with at least one active diaphragm opening for reducing the beam divergence, mounted in support elements over the extent of the neutron beam between the neutron source and measuring sample, the small-angle beam scattering of which is being detected by a detector, characterized by the provision of pinhole apertures of a number n ensuring the conductance of the beam and depending upon the requisite measurement resolution and the longitudinal dimension ( 2 ) of the neutron beam, the pinhole diaphragms being structured as lattice diaphragms ( 7 ) of variable spacing between each other, each lattice diaphragm ( 7 ) being provided with a constant number m of closely adjacent diaphragm openings ( 14 ) which subdivide the penetrating neutron beam into a number m of partial beams and which are of diminishing size in the direction of the measuring sample for reducing the divergence of the partial beams, with each of the diaphragm openings ( 14 ) of all n lattice openings ( 7 ) defining a partial beam being arranged during a time interval defined by the flight time of monochromatic neutrons on the parabolic path thereof and all partial beams being focused on the detector.