A versatile UHV transport and measurement chamber for neutron reflectometry under UHV conditions

摘要

We report on a versatile mini ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber which isdesigned to be used on the MAgnetic Reflectometer with high Incident Angle ofthe J\"ulich Centre for Neutron Science at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum inGarching, Germany. Samples are prepared in the adjacent thin film laboratory bymolecular beam epitaxy and moved into the compact chamber for transfer withoutexposure to ambient air. The chamber is based on DN 40 CF flanges and equippedwith sapphire view ports, a small getter pump, and a wobble stick, which servesalso as sample holder. Here, we present polarized neutron reflectivitymeasurements which have been performed on Co thin films at room temperature inUHV and in ambient air in a magnetic field of 200 mT and in the Q-range of 0.18\AA$^{-1}$. The results confirm that the Co film is not contaminated during thepolarized neutron reflectivity measurement. Herewith it is demonstrated thatthe mini UHV transport chamber also works as a measurement chamber which opensnew possibilities for polarized neutron measurements under UHV conditions.