Published by Australian Academy of Science
Probing past and future materials with neutrons Box 3 | Access for all

While Australia is lucky to have the OPAL reactor and neutron beam facilities, such technology is inherently expensive. It's too costly to replicate and maintain in multiple locations. This applies to many of the powerful instruments used to structurally characterise molecules and materials, including the Australian Synchrotron being developed in Melbourne.

The problem of access is now being addressed by recent technological developments in automation and the provision of internet access. The emerging technology will be used to build a collaborative network that provides internet access to instruments. A national database of resources will be available to allow users to interactively display, manipulate, analyse and discuss atomic structures across multiple monitors anywhere in the country.

Other boxes

Box 1. Analysing the old and the new

Box 2. The development of neutron beam science