SPINS is located on guide NG-5. SPINS operates in a number of different modes including conventional triple axis mode, horizontally focusing mode, position-sensitive detector (PSD) and polarized beam mode. A vertically focusing pyrolytic graphite (PG) monochromator produces beams with wavelengths from 2.42 to 5.84 ? Energy resolution is in the range of 0.02 to 1 meV, depending on incident wavelength and collimation.
PG and Be filters are available before the sample, and Be and BeO filters available after the sample to cut off higher order neutron contamination.
A multi-crystal analyzer with 11 PG blades provides horizontal focusing capability. The focusing is fully automated and controlled from the instrument computer. (Currently unavailable)
In the polarized beam mode of operation, supermirror transmission polarizers, consisting of a stack of single crystal Si plates with Fe/Si supermirror coatings, are inserted in the incident and scattered beams.