A new 12 Teslas cryomagnet was installed on the 6T2 diffractometer in 1997, and two experiments accepted by the Round Table 96 have been performed. Some modification of the sample rotation unit will be done by the end of the year, which appeared to be necessary because of the strong stray field of the magnet. The cryomagnet, shared by LLB and CENG is now back in Grenoble and will be scheduled for further experiments in Saclay starting from February 98. By this time it should be equipped by a new sample holder providing sample rotation inside the magnet .

The high-performance sapphire- (diamond-) anvil systems developed in collaboration with the Russian Research Centre " Kurchatov Institute " provide unequalled possibilities for studying low-temperature (T ³ 1.5 K) lattice and magnetic phase transitions by neutron diffraction at pressures as high as 25 GPa. The potential of these devices will be further extended by installing a 7.5 T cryomagnet with a large cold bore of 50 mm, compatible with the existing pressure chambers, and a wide access for the neutron beam (-7 to +22 deg. for use with a lifting detector). This equipment will be used primarily on 6T2 for single-crystal measurements, and will give access to the following experimental range : 1.7 £ T £ 300 K, 0 £ H £ 7.5 T, and
0 £ P £ 10 GPa. It should be in operation by the beginning of 1998 .

High pressure inelastic triple axis experiments were restricted so far to pressures below ~ 2.5 GPa. During the last two years we have adapted the " Paris-Edinburgh " high pressure cell, which allows to reach ~ 10 GPa at ambient temperature with an available sample volume of ~ 20 mm³ ; the cell can be used on any LLB triple-axis spectrometer. The sample crystal is embedded in Pb as pressure medium, and usually can be recovered after the experiment. The performance of the arrangement has been demonstrated by several experiments on phonons in simple systems such as Ge, FeO, Zn and Fe₃Pt.

We have the pleasure to inform Scientists from all Member States in the European Union and the Associated States, that LLB has been selected up to august 31rst 1999 at least, as large facility in the frame of the " Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR) " program.

About 10 % of the LLB beam time in 1998 will be taken in charge by this contract. Please indicate on the "  Research Proposal " form, if you wish that your experiment be taken in charge financially by TMR. The selection of proposals to be taken in charge by TMR will be made by the Selection Panel in the period 26 november to 2 december 1997. The TMR Program will take in charge, for each selected experiment, travel and subsistence expenses for one or two non-national european union scientists (in the latter case, there must be at least one young researcher). French scientists can only be exceptionnally taken in charge (European collaboration, new users, young researchers).

For more information, please phone 33-(0)1- 69 08 54 17