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Skip to main content About Us User Facilities Science & Discovery News Events ORNL Careers Our People Search the Site -- -- Science and Discovery Neutron Sciences Request Beam Time Home About About Overview Neutron Science Careers Neutron Sciences Procurement Group Outreach and Education Neutron Scattering School Neutron Science Graduate Programs and Course Materials Women in Neutron Sciences (WiNS) Inside The Innovations Facilities High Flux Isotope Reactor Spallation Neutron Source Shull Wollan Center User Laboratories Divisions Executive Office Neutron Technologies Division Neutron Scattering Division Research Accelerator Division Research Reactors Division Scientific and Program Services Office Future Projects Proton Power Upgrade Second Target Station Science Science Overview Science Initiatives Biological Materials and Systems Catalysis and Interfacial Chemistry Computing, Modeling, and Data Analytics High Pressure Science and Technology Materials and Engineering Quantum Materials Soft Matter and Polymers Science Techniques Neutron Scattering Diffraction Imaging Reflectometry Small Angle Neutron Scattering Spectroscopy Nuclear Gamma Irradiation In-Vessel Irradiation Nuclear Forensics (Neutron Activation Analysis) For Users Introduction Overview Contact Us Become A User How to Submit a Proposal Proposal Types Writing Your Statement of Research IPTS Proposal Form Integrated Proposal Tracking System (IPTS) Proposal Statistics Proposal Calls User Guide Plan Your Visit Plan Your Visit Checklist Shipping Guide Onsite at ORNL After Your Experiment Support Data Management Sample Environment User Laboratories Quick Links Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) Integrated Proposal Tracking System (IPTS) ORNL Guest Portal Publications for SNS and HFIR (PuSH) SNS-HFIR User Group (SHUG) Shull Wollan Center User Tutorials and Webinars For Industry Publications Instruments Instruments Overview Support Sample Environment Data Management User Laboratories High Flux Isotope Reactor BIO-SANS | Biological Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Instrument | CG-3 CTAX | Cold Neutron Triple-Axis Spectrometer | CG-4C DEV BEAM | Instrument Development Beam Line | CG-1 FIE-TAX | Fixed-Incident-Energy Triple-Axis Spectrometer | HB-1A GP-SANS | General-Purpose Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Diffractometer | CG-2 IMAGINE | Laue Diffractometer | CG-4D IMAGING | Neutron Imaging Facility | CG-1D PTAX | Polarized Triple-Axis Spectrometer | HB-1 POWDER | Neutron Powder Diffractometer | HB-2A NRSF2 | Neutron Residual Stress Mapping Facility | HB-2B DEMAND | Dimensional Extreme Magnetic Neutron Diffractometer | HB-3A TAX | Triple-Axis Spectrometer | HB-3 WAND² | Wide-Angle Neutron Diffractometer | HB-2C Spallation Neutron Source ARCS | Wide Angular-Range Chopper Spectrometer | BL-18 BASIS | Backscattering Spectrometer | BL-2 CNCS | Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer | BL-5 CORELLI | Elastic Diffuse Scattering Spectrometer | BL-9 EQ-SANS | Extended Q-Range Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Diffractometer | BL-6 FNPB | Fundamental Neutron Physics Beam Line | BL-13 HYSPEC | Hybrid Spectrometer | BL-14B LIQREF | Liquids Reflectometer | BL-4B MAGREF | Magnetism Reflectometer | BL-4A MANDI | Macromolecular Neutron Diffractometer | BL-11B NOMAD | Nanoscale-Ordered Materials Diffractometer | BL-1B NSE | Neutron Spin Echo Spectrometer | BL-15 POWGEN | Powder Diffractometer | BL-11A SEQUOIA | Fine-Resolution Fermi Chopper Spectrometer | BL-17 SNAP | Spallation Neutrons and Pressure Diffractometer | BL-3 TOPAZ | Single-Crystal Diffractometer | BL-12 USANS | Ultra-Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Instrument | BL-1A VENUS | Versatile Neutron Imaging Instrument | BL-10 VISION | Vibrational Spectrometer | BL-16B VULCAN | Engineering Materials Diffractometer | BL-7 News Overview ORNL Neutron News Neutrons in the News User Newsletter Signup for Newsletter Events UPDATE: Rapid Access for COVID-19 Research Neutrons chart atomic map of COVID-19’s viral replication mechanism Colorado School of Mines researchers use neutrons to study weld-induced stress relief in renewable energy infrastructure Discovery may lead to safer, more practical natural gas storage Neutrons for New Discoveries and Solutions Breakthroughs in medicine, energy, technology, and industry follow advances in the understanding of materials. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is at the US epicenter for one of the most powerful techniques exploring the nature of materials and energy—neutron scattering. ORNL hosts two of the world’s most powerful sources of neutrons for research: the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) . Neutrons have no electrical charge, which allows them to easily and safely pass through a sample, revealing information about the material’s structure and properties. Neutron scattering is used in many industries—automotive, aerospace, steel, defense, industrial materials, energy storage, data storage, biomedicine, and others—to address the 21 st century’s major scientific challenges. Discoveries fueled by neutron research at ORNL help scientists answer big science questions and spur countless innovations such as stronger glass for mobile devices, drugs that more effectively treat diseases, more reliable aircraft and rocket engines, cars with better gas mileage, improved armor for the military, and batteries that are safer, charge faster, and last longer. 703 Scientific Publications in CY19* 758 Total Unique Users in FY19 67,896 Hours of Beamtime in FY19 780 Total experiments in in FY19 *506 Instrument publications and 197 other scientific publications by ORNL’s neutron science staff. Research Highlights Confined Interlayer Water Explains Fast Proton Intercalation​ See All > Top Discoveries in 2019 Signatures of a 3D quantum spin liquid in Ce2Zr2O7 Cell killing mechanism in Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS Bose-Einstein condensation in a spin-orbit coupled quantum dimer magnet See All > User Facilities & Institutes High Flux Isotope Reactor Operating at 85 MW, HFIR provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any reactor in the world for materials research. Operating Status: Reactor is Off High Flux Isotope Reactor Operating at 85 MW, HFIR provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any reactor in the world for materials research. Operating Status: Reactor Off -- Spallation Neutron Source SNS is the most powerful pulsed neutron source in the world for materials research. Operating Status: Beam to Target Spallation Neutron Source SNS is the most powerful pulsed neutron source in the world for materials research. Operating Status: Beam On -- Shull Wollan Center The Shull Wollan Center is dedicated to promoting excellence in advancing the application of neutrons to the forefront of science and industry, and to the training and education of future researchers. Learn More Announcements & Events Proposal Call 2021-A Current Research Blocking vibrations that remove heat could boost efficiency of next-gen solar cells ORNL scientists help GE develop a unique ‘magnetic motor’ Neutrons reveal behavior of cholesterol in membranes Scientists achieve higher precision weak force measurement between protons, neutrons Read more > Contact Us Neutron Sciences Directorate One Bethel Valley Rd Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Office Phone: 865-574-0558 QUICK LINKS Do Research Here Publications Careers Internal Users Internal Staff Contact SHUG CONNECT WITH US -- Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy Internal Users Accessibility Nondiscrimination/1557 Security & Privacy Notice Home About About Overview Neutron Science Careers Neutron Sciences Procurement Group Outreach and Education Neutron Scattering School Neutron Science Graduate Programs and Course Materials Women in Neutron Sciences (WiNS) Inside The Innovations Facilities High Flux Isotope Reactor Spallation Neutron Source Shull Wollan Center User Laboratories Di...