Neutron Powder Diffractometer HERMES — After the Decade-Long Shutdown

Obtaining structural information has always been of primary importance in condensed matter physics, chemistry, and materials science. To refine crystal and magnetic structures, neutron powder diffraction is widely employed owing to comparable scattering cross-sections of neutrons for nuclear and magnetic scattering. The neutron powder diffractometer HERMES stationed at the Japan Research Reactor has served for structural studies, and modifications and improvements were made after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We here present an overview of the upgraded instrument focusing on newly equipped components and the latest developments in data reduction, which all took place during the suspension of the reactor operation for nearly a decade.