A simple neutron microscope using a compound refractive lens

Images obtained with a high-magnification simple neutron microscope using a compound refractive lens are presented in this letter. The short focal length of the stack of Al biconcave lenses facilitated the setup of a simple neutron microscope at the D22 small angle scattering beam line at the Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France that achieved a 35x magnification and a 214 mum resolution. Higher-resolution images could be obtained using improved neutron lens systems that enhance beam delivery from neutron sources and produce high-quality images in combination with higher resolution two-dimensional neutron detectors. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.