McMaster Nuclear Reactor

The McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) is a 5 MW multipurpose research reactor located on the campus of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.  The MNR is currently home to two neutron scattering beamlines.

Beamport 6: The McMaster Alignment Diffractometer (MAD).  A general purpose triple-axis spectrometer.  MAD is primarily used for neutron diffraction measurements (e.g. structural characterization, sample alignment, sample texture analysis, and assessment of crystal quality).  However, the instrument is also available for educational use (e.g. demonstration experiments) and selected inelastic neutron scattering measurements.

Beamport 4: The McMaster Small Angle Neutron Scattering Beamline (MacSANS).  MacSANS is currently under construction, but scheduled to begin commissioning experiments in the summer of 2021.

For more information about the neutron scattering program at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, or to inquire about obtaining beamtime, please contact us via email: macneutrons@gmail.com. For more detailed questions, you can also contact our neutron scientists directly:

Pat Clancy: clancyp@mcmaster.ca
Zin Tun: zin.tun@cnl.ca

Other ways to connect with neutron scattering at MNR:

Website: macneutrons.weebly.com
Twitter: @macneutrons

Canadian Neutron Beam Centre

The Canadian Neutron Beam Centre (CNBC) ceased to provide neutrons on March 31, 2018, when the NRU reactor permanently closed. The CNBC plans to provide assistance until March 2019 to complete data analysis and publish results.

Access to Foreign Facilities 

The Canadian Institute for Neutron Scattering (CINS) is supporting efforts to secure a future for neutron scatting in Canada beyond the closure of the CNBC that includes access to foreign facilities as well as maximizing the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. For more information, consult the Canadian Neutron Initiative page.

Travel Support

Limited travel support for first-time visits to neutron scattering facilities to participate in an experiment is available from CINS.