Today (March 30th), it was announced by the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, that the construction of the Phase II project of the National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure, the China Spallation Neutron Source, has commenced in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. The construction period is expected to last 5 years and 9 months.
The China Spallation Neutron Source, hailed as a "super microscope" for exploring the microscopic structures of materials, will see an expansion in the Phase II project. It will include the addition of scientific research equipment to the existing facility, with the main focus on constructing 11 neutron spectrometers and experimental terminals. Once completed, the number of neutron spectrometers will increase to 20, with the addition of the first domestically developed muon experimental terminal and a high-energy proton experimental terminal. Additionally, the beam power of the accelerator target will be raised from the Phase I design specification of 100 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts. With these enhancements, the facility will generate more neutrons within the same timeframe, significantly reducing experiment duration and improving resolution, enabling the measurement of smaller samples and the study of faster dynamic processes.
The research capabilities of the facility will be greatly enhanced, leading to significantly improved experiment precision and efficiency. It will serve as a powerful tool for exploring scientific frontiers, addressing key scientific issues crucial for national development, and supporting industrial advancement.
Currently, significant progress has been made in key technical pre-research for the Second Phase Project of the China Spallation Neutron Source. The first domestically developed high-power high-gradient magnetron-loaded cavity has been officially put into operation, and the high-power klystron for the P-band has successfully passed acceptance tests. Additionally, breakthroughs have been achieved in the development of neutron detectors, neutron guides, and neutron polarizers, laying a solid technical foundation for the successful construction of the Second Phase Project of the China Spallation Neutron Source.
As the first national major scientific and technological infrastructure in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) provides an important technological nucleus for the construction of a comprehensive national science center and the establishment of an international science and technology innovation center in the Greater Bay Area. The Phase II project of the CSNS will effectively promote the original innovation ability of the Greater Bay Area and, together with other large scientific facilities, form a cluster advantage, contributing to the scientific and technological development and industrial upgrading of the Greater Bay Area.
Since its completion and national acceptance in 2018, the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) has seen a rapid increase in users, with over 6000 registered users currently, leading to a shortage of available machine hours. As of now, more than 1500 user experiments have been conducted, including over 100 from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other countries, covering various cutting-edge interdisciplinary and high-tech research fields such as energy, physics, materials, and engineering. Significant scientific and technological innovations have been achieved in key areas including stress testing of aerospace components, lithium-ion batteries, solar cell structures, rare earth magnetism, new high-temperature superconductors, functional films, high-strength alloys, and chip single-particle effects. (Original title: "Super Microscope" Updated! Phase II Construction of China Spallation Neutron Source Initiated)
