The traditional CMR@IBR-2 online conference
was also a success

On 24-29 April, Dubna hosted the fifth international conference "Condensed Matter Research at the IBR-2 Reactor" that was organised by the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics of JINR via videoconference. More than 160 researchers from 18 countries took part in the conference to discuss the results obtained at the IBR-2 facilities, the prospects for the development of further research and the experimental base. The scientific topics of the conference covered a wide range of research areas using neutron scattering at the IBR-2 reactor, including condensed matter physics, materials science, chemistry, biophysical, geophysical, engineering sciences, research in the field of cultural heritage and others. During the five days of the conference, 12 plenary reports, 46 oral presentations and 75 posters were presented.

FLNP Director V.N.Shvetsov opened the conference. The current status and plans for the modernization of the IBR-2 research reactor were discussed in detail in his report. In the next report, D.P.Kozlenko (FLNP) presented an overview of the current state of the complex of spectrometers for the study of condensed matter at the IBR-2 pulsed reactor and plans for its further development. In the final report of the introductory section, A.Korsunsky (Oxford University, UK/Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Russia) introduced to the conference participants the unique possibilities of research of the hierarchical structures of functional materials using complementary methods of neutron scattering, X-rays and electron microscopy.

Experimental hall of the IBR-2 reactor. Photo by Elena Puzynina.

RAS Corresponding Member S.V.Streltsov (IMP UB RAS) opened the section "Functional and nanostructured materials" with the invited report that considered the theoretical foundations of new physical effects in transition metal compounds concerning spin-orbit interaction and their relationship with magnetic and structural properties. In other invited reports of this section, S.V.Rogozhkin (NRNU MEPhI) and V.T.Lebedev (PNPI NRC KI) presented the results of the use of complementary analysis of nanostructures in structural materials and studies of the effect of compression of lanthanide atoms in Ln-endofullerenols and their ordering in solutions. In oral presentations of the section, researchers from MSU, IMET UB RAS, PNPI NRC KI, FLNP JINR, RSE INP (Kazakhstan) presented the results of studies of the structural properties of a wide range of functional and nanostructured materials, including multiferroics, hydrides, complex magnetic oxides, van der Waals magnets, proton-conducting membranes with nanodiamonds for fuel elements, materials for compact current sources and solar batteries.

In the section dedicated to the development of neutron scattering methods and neutron experiment techniques, the project of the compact neutron source DARIA, intended for scientific research and industrial applications was presented in the invited report by S.V.Grigoriev (PNPI NRC KI). In oral presentations, participants of the section from FLNP, PNPI NRC KI, INR RAS discussed promising developments in the field of designing neutron detectors of various types, data acquisition systems, issues related to the development and optimization of various options for a cold moderator on a new neutron source at FLNP JINR.

In the section of soft condensed matter, A.Angelova (University of Paris-Saclay, France) made an invited report on the study of lipid nanocarriers of drugs for the delivery of natural neuroprotectors. In subsequent oral presentations, researchers from PNPI NRC KI, MIPT, FLNP, the Institute of Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (Moldova), the Center for Energy Research (Hungary) presented the results of studies of various protein, lipid, micellar nanosystems, biohybrid nanocomplexes and polymers.

In the section of magnetic nanomaterials, an invited lecture by S.Kantorovich (University of Vienna, Austria) on soft magnetic materials, the state of the art and new trends in this area of research aroused great interest. The results of studies of the magnetic properties of ferrofluids, layered nanosystems and complex biological nanoobjects were discussed in the reports of participants from the University of Bucharest (Romania), St. Petersburg State University, PNPI NRC KI, IMET UB RAS, FLNP.

In the section of the research of internal stresses and textures in materials, an invited report by V.T.Em (NRC KI) was dedicated to a review of the current state and prospects for the development of neutron stress diffractometry methods. Participants from the Institute of Electronics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Bulgaria), FLNP, Tulsky State University presented the results of research of texture and stresses in structural materials, rocks and minerals.

In the section of research in the field of cultural heritage, S.E.Kichanov (FLNP), I.A.Saprykina (IA RAS), B.A.Bakirov (KFU/FLNP) discussed the main research areas using neutron radiography and tomography at the IBR-2 reactor and the results of the analysis of the internal structure of ancient and medieval coins.

The conference program included a new section of using complementary methods for the study of condensed matter, the use of which may become relevant regarding the temporary shutdown of the IBR-2 reactor for technical reasons. A.S.Doroshkevich (FLNP) presented an overview of the possibilities and the most important results of condensed matter research at the EG-5 accelerator. A.Savin and R.Steimann from the National Institute of Research and Development for Technical Physics (Romania) introduced to the audience the possibilities of using the electromagnetic method to estimate the degree of defectiveness of cylindrical products and the results of microwave measurements of biological tissues.

In general, the conference participants evaluated the scientific and technical level of the conference as consistently high and shared their impressions.

Vasily Timofeevich Lebedev (PNPI NRC KI): "Among hundreds of conferences, I have seen many scientific events of various levels, scales and areas and only a few of them have been remembered. Among them I can mention our traditional common forum in Dubna under the flag of IBR-2 that every time pleases with new events, pleasant human and scientific communication between scientists from the world scientific community. Indeed, this is a well-coordinated action of like-minded people and good colleagues, to whom much has been related and achieved, but even more is ahead, thanks to the unique tools of neutron science and technology that are hospitably provided by the staff on the basis of the reactor.

The ability to focus the conference on rapidly changing scientific events, to choose the most important of them, looking beyond the horizon of knowledge, to form a bright series of reviews and original reports - this is what distinguishes the organising committee that works successfully and attracts the best scientific forces, providing the most favorable conditions for participants. Many thanks to the organisers of the conference!

Almost half a century ago, having come to science as a radiophysicist by education, I soon became interested in neutron research that gives a special vision of the nature of matter from elementary particles to complex biological structures and objects. It is remarkable that such neutron centers as IBR-2 are powerful integrators of scientific ideas that was felt at the conference. The conference program was rich and diverse in terms of topics, content, coverage of key areas of neutron research. First of all, this is the state and prospects of the IBR-2 pulsed source and the development of the instrument infrastructure - the basic foundation of Russian and many international projects in neutron and condensed matter physics today.

The state and plans for the modernisation of IBR-2 are in the special focus of scientists from the Russian neutron community and many foreign colleagues. The range of the most important issues at the conference includes the general strategy development areas of neutron sources and advanced measuring complexes for them. This was reflected in the lectures of the introductory plenary session and invited reports on neutron methods and facilities, including the issues of developing compact sources, technologies for producing and registering cold neutrons.

The presented neutron developments open the way to new knowledge in the field of functional materials and nanostructures - from crystals to organic molecules, polymers and biological objects, natural and synthetic materials, cultural heritage objects, for the analysis of the structure of which non-destructive methods of penetrating neutrons are indispensable.

The conference provided an excellent opportunity to capture the rich panorama of neutron research, evaluate many scientific areas and see new challenges. I congratulate the organisers and participants of the conference on a bright scientific event that has attracted many new participants."

Sofia Kantorovich (University of Vienna, Austria): "I would like to thank the organisers for the invitation to make a review report on magnetic soft materials. I was very pleased to see a wide variety of experimental work on this topic presented at the conference that is carried out using such complex techniques as neutron scattering. Undoubtedly, conferences such as CMR@IBR-2 help to establish interdisciplinary contacts and set specific tasks almost online, despite today's difficulties in communication. I am very impressed with the balance between the representative and practical value of the conference, for which I should congratulate the organisers of CMR@IBR-2."

Irina Anatolievna Saprykina (Institute of Archeology of RAS, Moscow): "This is not for the first time that archaeologists participate in conferences held by JINR; in fact, this conference has already become one of the main scientific platforms where the results of work on the study of cultural heritage objects using neutron physics methods are presented and discussed. At this conference, we presented the results of complex research of Arabic dirhams of the 9th-10th centuries, where the method of neutron tomography and radiography is one of the analysis tools, without which we cannot obtain important scientific information about the technique of manufacturing ancient objects, the degree of their preservation, the purity of the material used in antiquity and other factors. In general, thanks to the efforts of colleagues from JINR, the research area on cultural heritage objects using neutron tomography and radiography, judging by the responses of the conference participants, has been raised to the world level and of course, for their part, archaeologists from the leading scientific institutions of the country are looking forward to the further cooperation."

Denis Kozlenko, Veronika Smirnova