The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has announced the creation of the Versatile Neutron Imaging Instrument, or VENUS.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has charted new territory for neutron imaging through artificial intelligence.
Terming it as the device with the world’s most intense pulsed neutron beam, VENUS can transform research in multiple areas of science—some of which are energy storage for better batteries, materials science for more efficient building materials, plant physiology for drought-resistant plants, and more.
It will offer high-resolution 3D imaging with enhanced contrast that is sensitive to structural details at the atomic scale. Moreover, the neutrons will allow researchers to study the extremely delicate materials brought to the laboratory for exploration.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Science approved the final commissioning of VENUS in July 2024.
“It’s a dream come true,” said ORNL neutron scattering scientist Hassina Bilheux. “It has been an honor and privilege to work with so many talented people dedicated to seeing VENUS through.”
Neutron scattering instrument at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
According to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers, VENUS also has advanced computational methods that make the most of neutron beam time.
The users of the neutron scattering instrument will be able to use AI to produce 3D models of samples from time-of-flight raw data in significantly fewer measurements. This will enable them to drastically reduce the time needed for getting the full information about the object in question.
“VENUS offers broad capabilities for access to unique contrasts from many fields in science,” Bilheux said . “And with the help of AI, researchers can get their 3D data as soon as the experiment is over.”
“We are thrilled to offer such one-of-a-kind capabilities to user communities around the globe,” said Jens Dilling, associate laboratory director for ORNL’s Neutron Sciences Directorate. “Considering some of the challenges we face as a nation and around the world, science and the talented people who make it happen, as here at VENUS, might be our greatest hope.”
The process of building VENUS
According to a press release by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the process of creating VENUS began in 2006. This was when Bilheux got the idea to create a neutron scattering instrument with enhanced imaging contrast for studying crystalline and amorphous samples at the atomic scale without damaging them.
Neutrons produce the best results in 3D with precise information on atomic structure because they pass easily through materials without damaging them.
Using this, scientists can probe thick samples, generate 3D images, and build more complete microscale models of materials based on how neutrons scatter or bounce off atoms.
The integration of AI with ORNL’s instruments began quite recently. The physical construction of VENUS began in 2019 and is now nearing completion, with plans for user beamtime beginning in the last half of 2025.
According to the release , VENUS will help researchers understand the mineral content in the rocks for clues about early planetary formations and where we might find water on the moon.
“It takes a village to create such a complex instrument, and our entire ORNL team is very dedicated, which I’m very thankful for and very proud of,” Bilheux said. “Now she’s ready — it’s time to come try things and push the limits of the instrument.”
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