Dr C. Pappas appointed Professor of Neutron and Positron Instruments and Methods (R³)
06 January 2009 by Faculty Applied SciencesDr Katia Pappas has been appointed by the Executive Board as Professor of Neutron and Positron Instruments and Methods. She will become head of the Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials (NPM²) research group at the Department of Radiation, Radionuclides & Reactors (R³).
Neutron instrumentation
The tasks related to this chair are influenced strongly by international developments in the field of neutron scattering and positron research. In addition to developments in neutron instrumentation and methods, Dr Pappas has also specialised in the field of phase transitions and relaxation phenomena in glasses, polymers and complex magnetic systems such as spin glasses, unordered magnets and chiral systems. Here she has made use of muon spin resonance and neutron spectroscopy techniques.
Neutron spin
Dr Pappas has been involved in the development of the second BENSC neutron guide hall. New experimental concepts are inspired both by the possibilities of the neutron itself and by the scientific issues involved; Dr Pappas applies both approaches. The first approach is based on use of the precession of the neutron spin, thus enabling circumvention of Liouville’s Theorem and an unprecedentedly high resolution of position and time
Larmor precession, spin-echo). This is one of the most important research areas of NPM2 and will be further strengthened by the arrival of Dr Pappas.
Magnetic structures
A new technique was required for research into chiral magnetic structures and interference between nuclear and magnetic scattering. In collaboration with ILL, Dr Pappas developed an instrument in which spin-echo is combined with the Cryopad polarisation analysis method developed at ILL. The initial results revealed unexpected magnetic structures. This method will be further applied in research into multiferroic materials that are important for innovative spintronic devices.
Oyster
Dr Pappas will play a crucial role in the implementation of the OYSTER project and will give a huge boost to the realisation and use of the new research infrastructure. With her knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm she will strengthen the use of neuron techniques by Dutch university and industrial researchers and will play an important role in Dutch access to and participation in top international facilities (ISIS, ILL and in the future ESS).
