Executive Summary

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI in Villigen have developed the world's first achromatic lens for neutron imaging. The lens focuses neutrons of different wavelengths onto the same focal point, enabling sharp, magnified images with a resolution below 20 micrometers – even when objects are several meters away from the detector. The innovation was published on June 29, 2026 in the journal Nature Communications. It overcomes a decades-long obstacle in neutron imaging and opens new possibilities for observing processes inside devices such as furnaces, cryostats, or batteries.

People

  • Joan Vila-Comamala (Scientist, Team Leader, PSI Center for Photon Science)
  • Mano Raj Dhanalakshmi Veeraraj (Lead Author of the Study, Doctoral Researcher at PSI)

Topics

  • Neutron imaging
  • Materials research
  • Optics and nanostructuring
  • Research infrastructure

Clarus Lead

The achromatic neutron lens addresses a fundamental problem in modern materials research: neutrons enable non-destructive examination of structures that X-rays cannot penetrate (such as lithium in batteries or hydrogen in polymers), but were technically difficult to focus. The breakthrough at PSI now enables real-time observations of material changes under realistic operating conditions for the first time – relevant for battery and engine development as well as archaeology. The European Spallation Source ESS in Sweden is already considering these requirements in its planning.

Detailed Summary

The core challenge lay in the fact that neutron beams consist of neutrons with many different wavelengths. Previous lens concepts could not direct all wavelengths simultaneously to a focal point – a problem that remained unsolved for decades. Without lenses, samples had to be placed directly next to the detector, which severely limited the achievable resolution and the size of objects that could be imaged.

The new lens consists of concentric nickel rings and precisely shaped diamond structures in defined geometry. Unlike conventional optical lenses, it uses both diffraction (through nickel rings) and refraction (through diamond structures) to produce the magnified image. The delicate nickel structures – some under 200 nanometers – were created using electron beam lithography in the PSI's PICO clean rooms; the diamond components were manufactured by the Swiss company SYNOVA S.A.

In testing, researchers transmitted X-rays through a commercial lithium-ion battery and magnified the electrode layer structure sevenfold – at a distance of 6 meters from the detector. In the future, this could be used to observe structural changes in running motors or other dynamic processes in dense matter. The technology builds on an earlier success: in 2022, the same team developed an achromatic X-ray lens for synchrotron facilities. The combination of expertise from X-ray optics and neutron imaging – both located at PSI – enabled this breakthrough.

Key Statements

  • The achromatic neutron lens focuses a broad spectrum of neutron wavelengths onto a single point for the first time, producing images with sub-20 micrometer resolution.
  • The technology enables examination of dense, metallic structures (batteries, motors) under realistic operating conditions without destruction.
  • New research facilities such as the ESS in Sweden are already aligned with the longer beamlines that will fully utilize the lens's potential.

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Data Quality: The test on a single lithium-ion battery demonstrates feasibility – how robust is the lens across different neutron energies and material types? What error rates were measured in repeated tests?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: PSI develops, builds, and operates the research facilities (SINQ, SLS) on which the lens was tested. How independent is the evaluation of performance, and are there external validations from other neutron sources?

  3. Causality/Alternatives: The text mentions decades-long obstacles – were alternative solution approaches (e.g., multiple detectors, computational reconstruction) systematically ruled out, or is the achromatic lens just one of several possible paths?

  4. Feasibility/Risks: The nickel structures are under 200 nanometers in size. How stable are these structures under neutron radiation over extended periods? What maintenance and replacement cycles are expected?

  5. Scalability: Can the lens be scaled for higher neutron energies or larger apertures, or are there physical limits?

  6. Cost and Accessibility: What manufacturing costs are involved, and will such lenses be available to international research facilities, or will they remain PSI-exclusive?

Source Directory

Primary Source: World-unique lens brings neutrons into sharper focus – Paul Scherrer Institute PSI https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/d5HKiqKUjY1Xn072XMdZX

Scientific Publication: Dhanalakshmi Veeraraj M, Raj D, Chen H-Y, Strebel S, Qi P, Fedrigo A, et al. (2026). An achromatic neutron lens. Nature Communications, June 29, 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-74925-w

Verification Status: ✓ 14.07.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact Check: 14.07.2026