Abstract
During the initial beam tests of SINQ in December 1996 and March/April 1997, extensive flux measurements were made at the neutron guide system and at thermal beam ports, applying gold-foil activation, Gd-conversion and imaging plate radiography, time-of-flight spectroscopy, and flux measurements at the SANS-specimen position. The tests have proven that SINQ – the first continuous spallation neutron source with a 1 MW power potential – fulfills the expectations regarding machine performance, moderation efficiency, shielding quality and, last not least, neutron flux levels. The latter compare favorably with those of currently operating medium-flux reactors. In particular, the neutron guide system of SINQ has taken full advantage of supermirror coating with considerable gains in spectral range and integral flux at the instrument positions. The flux measurements were complemented by quantitative determination of beam contaminations by γ-radiation and epithermal and high-energy neutrons, yielding satisfactorily low values.
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