Design and performance characterization of the time-of-flight liquid neutron reflectometer at the China spallation neutron source

The full design of a liquid neutron reflectometer for China spallation neutron source is reported. The horizontal sample geometry enables studies on both solid and liquid samples. A neutron beam with a wavelength range from 1 to 10 angstrom and neutron flux intensity of 4 x 10(7) n/cm(2)/s was optimized for the classical specular reflection. A multi-blade detector with high detection efficiency and a high neutron counting rate was used to ensure the performance of neutron detection. Data acquisition and reduction routines were demonstrated to confirm the reliability of the measurements. The design and algorithms developed in this study pave the way for the future construction of liquid reflectometry for high-performance neutron scattering measurements.