Neutron Scattering Instrumentation

This chapter gives a short introduction into neutron scattering instrumentation to allow the non-specialist reader to acquire the basics of the method necessary to understand the technical aspects in the topical articles. The idea is not to go into details but to elaborate on the principles as general as possible. We start with a short discussion of neutron production at large-scale facilities. We then present the main characteristics of neutron beams and show how these can be tailored to the specific requirements of the experiment using neutron optical devices and time-of-flight discrimination. This will allow us in the final section to present a non-exhaustive selection of instrument classes. Emphasis will be given to the design aspects responsible for resolution and dynamic range, as these define the field of scientific application of the spectrometers.