Manufacturing of a Neutron Guide System for the Ultracold Neutron Source at the PIK Reactor

At the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI) of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, the work is underway to manufacture an ultracold neutron (UCN) source, in which superfluid helium is used as a converter, for research in physics of fundamental interactions. The UCN density in the closed chamber of the source is expected to be at a level of 3.4 × 103 cm–3. This source will provide the operation with four experimental setups sequentially. The efficient transport of UCN towards experiments will be achieved using neutron guides of stainless steel with an internal diameter of 125 mm. The manufacturing technology for these neutron guides is described, in particular the polishing and the deposition of a thin 58Ni film on the inner surface.