Discovery

Assessments of national facilities dedicated to neutron beams in the U.S. and U.K. found that they produce social and economic benefits worth at least double the investment. Canada, with its multipurpose neutron source model, is realizing a return on investment in its neutron facilities of at least 3 times.

Experiments at the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre (CNBC) confirmed one of the theoretical predictions of this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Access to neutron beams enables graduate students to conduct experiments in quantum magnetism—and thereby to develop advanced experimental and computational skills that can be readily applied to future careers in science and industry.

Former McMaster PhD student Dalini Maharaj studies novel magnetic materials that could very well usher in the next generation data storage technology, particularly in disk drive read-and-write heads. In principle, one could reduce the size of the data storage unit if the data density could be increased in these hard-disks.

University of Saskatchewan scientists use neutron beams to observe plant roots in soil to aid breeding of drought-resistant crops.

Everyone is waiting for the next big technological leap. As devices grow in complexity, the limits of materials and hardware are pushed toward their energetic and physical limits. Materials researchers across the globe redesign and tweak hardware to extend capabilities, but before too long these roadblocks will be unavoidable.

University of Waterloo scientists are putting together pieces of the molecular puzzle behind Alzheimer’s disease by examining the role of disease-related biomolecules in model brain cell membranes.

The super-ambitious ‘Internet of Things’ would allow smart devices everywhere to gather, share, and respond to data—and one Simon Fraser University chemist is making breakthroughs in understanding the materials that have just the right electro-mechanical properties to turn that vision into a reality.

Université de Montréal scientists use neutron beams in their search for materials that could have revolutionary applications in computing technology. Their search was made possible by fundamental discoveries that were recognized by the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Researchers from McGill University accessed the CNBC to prove that yes, you can do neutron scattering on gadolinium compounds, and have attracted international collaborators as a result.

Dalhousie University scientists access the CNBC to identify materials with the magnetic properties required for a major breakthrough in computer memory.

Superconductors aren’t just for cool levitation demonstrations; a key discovery in this field could disrupt technologies for computing, medical imaging and power transmission lines as we know them today. The CNBC’s unique expertise and scientific tools are enabling Canadian and international researchers to make cutting edge discoveries in this field.