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Physics Physics Department,
Technical University of Denmark
2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Technical University of Denmark
2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Component Manual for the Neutron Ray-Tracing Package McStas, version 3.9
September, 2026
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The software package McStas is a tool for carrying out Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of neutron scattering instruments with high complexity and precision. The simulations can compute all aspects of the performance of instruments and can thus be used to optimize the use of existing equipment, design new instrumentation, and carry out virtual experiments for e.g. training, experimental planning or data analysis. McStas is based on a unique design where an automatic compilation process translates high-level textual instrument descriptions into efficient ISO-C code. This design makes it simple to set up typical simulations and also gives essentially unlimited freedom to handle more unusual cases. This report constitutes the reference manual for McStas, and, together with the manual for the McStas components, it contains documentation of most aspects of the program. It covers the various ways to compile and run simulations, a description of the meta-language used to define simulations, and some example simulations performed with the program.
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This report documents McStas version 3.9, released September, 2026
The authors are:
Peter Kjær Willendrup <pkwi@fysik.dtu.dk>
Physics Department, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkEmmanuel Farhi <emmanuel.farhi@synchrotron-soleil.fr>
Synchrotron SOLEIL, Saint-Aubin, FranceKim Lefmann <lefmann@nbi.dk>
Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
as well as authors who left the project:
Erik Knudsen <erkn@fysik.dtu.dk>
Physics Department, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark Jakob Garde <jaga@fysik.dtu.dk>
Physics Department, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark Peter Christiansen <pchristi@hep.lu.se>
Materials Research Department, Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark
Present address: University of Lund, Lund, Sweden
Klaus Lieutenant <k.lieutenant@fz-juelich.dee>
Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
Present address: Forschungs-Zentrum Jülich, Germany
Kristian Nielsen <kristian-nielsen@mail.tele.dk>
Materials Research Department, Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark
Presently associated with: MySQL AB, Sweden
ISBN 978–87–550–3680–2
ISSN 0106–2840
Physics Department \(\cdot \) DTU \(\cdot \) 2026
Contents
Preface and acknowledgements
Preface and acknowledgements
1 About the component library
1.1 Authorship
1.2 Symbols for neutron scattering and simulation
1.3 Component coordinate system
1.4 About data files
1.5 Component source code
1.6 Documentation
1.7 Component validation
1.8 Disclaimer, bugs
2 Monte Carlo Techniques and simulation strategy
2.1 Neutron spectrometer simulations
2.2 The neutron weight
2.3 Weight factor transformations during a Monte Carlo choice
2.4 Adaptive and Stratified sampling
2.5 Accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations
3 Source components
3.1 The Source_simple McStas Component
3.2 The Source_div McStas Component
3.3 The Source_Maxwell_3 McStas Component
3.4 The Source_gen McStas Component
3.5 The Moderator McStas Component
3.6 The Source_adapt McStas Component
3.7 The Adapt_check McStas Component
3.8 The Source_Optimizer McStas Component
3.9 The Monitor_Optimizer McStas Component
3.10 Other sources components: contributed pulsed sources, virtual sources (event files)
4 Beam optical components: Arms, slits, collimators, and filters
4.1 The Arm McStas Component
4.2 The Slit McStas Component
4.3 The Beamstop McStas Component
4.4 The Filter_gen McStas Component
4.5 The NCrystal_filter McStas Component
4.6 The Collimator_linear McStas Component
4.7 The Collimator_radial McStas Component
5 Reflecting optical components: mirrors, and guides
5.1 The Guide McStas Component
5.2 The Guide_gravity McStas Component
6 Moving optical components: Choppers and velocity selectors
6.1 The DiskChopper McStas Component
6.2 The FermiChopper McStas Component
6.3 The Vitess_ChopperFermi McStas Component
6.4 The V_selector McStas Component
6.5 The Selector McStas Component
7 Polarising optics and magnetic field components
7.1 Setting and analysing polarisation
7.2 The Set_pol McStas Component
7.3 The PolAnalyser_ideal McStas Component
7.4 The Pol_SF_ideal McStas Component
7.5 Polarising mirrors and guides
7.6 The Pol_mirror McStas Component
7.7 The Pol_bender McStas Component
7.8 The Pol_guide_mirror McStas Component
7.9 The Pol_guide_vmirror McStas Component
7.10 Magnetic field components
7.11 The Pol_Bfield McStas Component
7.12 The Pol_Bfield_stop McStas Component
7.13 The Pol_FieldBox McStas Component
7.14 The Pol_constBfield McStas Component
7.15 The Pol_tabled_field McStas Component
8 Monochromators
8.1 The Monochromator_flat McStas Component
8.2 The Monochromator_curved McStas Component
8.3 Monochromator_pol: A polarizing monochromator
8.4 The Monochromator_pol McStas Component
8.5 Single_crystal: Thick single crystal monochromator plate with multiple scattering
8.6 Phase space transformer - moving monochromator
9 Samples
9.1 The Incoherent McStas Component
9.2 The Tunneling_sample McStas Component
9.3 The PowderN McStas Component
9.4 The Single_crystal McStas Component
9.5 The Sans_spheres McStas Component
9.6 The Phonon_simple McStas Component
9.7 The Isotropic_Sqw McStas Component
9.8 Magnetic samples, magnons and NCrystal
9.9 The Magnon_bcc McStas Component
9.10 The Single_magnetic_crystal McStas Component
9.11 The NCrystal_sample McStas Component
9.12 Samples for resolution-function calculations
9.13 The Res_sample McStas Component
9.14 The TOFRes_sample McStas Component
10 Monitors and detectors
10.1 The TOF_monitor McStas Component
10.2 The TOF2E_monitor McStas Component
10.3 The E_monitor McStas Component
10.4 The L_monitor McStas Component
10.5 The PSD_monitor McStas Component
10.6 The Divergence_monitor McStas Component
10.7 The DivPos_monitor McStas Component
10.8 The Monitor_nD McStas Component
10.9 The Res_monitor McStas Component
10.10 Polarisation-sensitive monitors
10.11 The Pol_monitor McStas Component
10.12 The PolLambda_monitor McStas Component
10.13 The MeanPolLambda_monitor McStas Component
10.14 The PSD_monitor_4PI_spin McStas Component
11 Special-purpose components
11.1 MCPL: splitting simulations via portable neutron event files
11.2 The MCPL_input McStas Component
11.3 The MCPL_output McStas Component
11.4 KDSource: kernel-density-estimated source from particle lists
11.5 The KDSource McStas Component
11.6 Progress_bar: Simulation progress and automatic saving
11.7 Beam_spy: A beam analyzer
12 The Union framework: sample environments and multiple scattering
12.1 Union framework core: initialization, master, and termination
12.2 The Union_init McStas Component
12.3 The Union_master McStas Component
12.4 The Union_master_GPU McStas Component
12.5 The Union_stop McStas Component
12.6 Union geometry components
12.7 The Union_box McStas Component
12.8 The Union_cylinder McStas Component
12.9 The Union_sphere McStas Component
12.10 The Union_cone McStas Component
12.11 The Union_mesh McStas Component
12.12 Union material definition
12.13 The Union_make_material McStas Component
12.14 The Union_NCrystal_material McStas Component
12.15 Union scattering process components
12.16 The Non_process McStas Component
12.17 The Incoherent_process McStas Component
12.18 The Inhomogenous_incoherent_process McStas Component
12.19 The IncoherentPhonon_process McStas Component
12.20 The PhononSimple_process McStas Component
12.21 The Powder_process McStas Component
12.22 The Single_crystal_process McStas Component
12.23 The AF_HB_1D_process McStas Component
12.24 The Texture_process McStas Component
12.25 The NCrystal_process McStas Component
12.26 The Template_process McStas Component
12.27 The Template_surface McStas Component
12.28 The Mirror_surface McStas Component
12.29 Union loggers (event/history recording)
12.30 The Union_logger_1D McStas Component
12.31 The Union_logger_2DQ McStas Component
12.32 The Union_logger_2D_kf McStas Component
12.33 The Union_logger_2D_kf_time McStas Component
12.34 The Union_logger_2D_space McStas Component
12.35 The Union_logger_2D_space_time McStas Component
12.36 The Union_logger_3D_space McStas Component
12.37 Union absorption loggers
12.38 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space McStas Component
12.39 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_event McStas Component
12.40 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_tof McStas Component
12.41 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_tof_to_lambda McStas Component
12.42 The Union_abs_logger_1D_time McStas Component
12.43 The Union_abs_logger_2D_space McStas Component
12.44 The Union_abs_logger_event McStas Component
12.45 The Union_abs_logger_nD McStas Component
12.46 The Union_abs_logger_nD_scintillator McStas Component
12.47 Union conditionals
12.48 The Union_conditional_PSD McStas Component
12.49 The Union_conditional_standard McStas Component
13 SasView/sasmodels form factors: small-angle scattering
13.1 SasView form-factor components
13.2 The SasView_adsorbed_layer McStas Component
13.3 The SasView_barbell McStas Component
13.4 The SasView_barbell_aniso McStas Component
13.5 The SasView_bcc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.6 The SasView_bcc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.7 The SasView_binary_hard_sphere McStas Component
13.8 The SasView_broad_peak McStas Component
13.9 The SasView_capped_cylinder McStas Component
13.10 The SasView_capped_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.11 The SasView_core_multi_shell McStas Component
13.12 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle McStas Component
13.13 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_aniso McStas Component
13.14 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical McStas Component
13.15 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_aniso McStas Component
13.16 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_belt_rough McStas Component
13.17 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_belt_rough_aniso McStas Component
13.18 The SasView_core_shell_cylinder McStas Component
13.19 The SasView_core_shell_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.20 The SasView_core_shell_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.21 The SasView_core_shell_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.22 The SasView_core_shell_parallelepiped McStas Component
13.23 The SasView_core_shell_parallelepiped_aniso McStas Component
13.24 The SasView_core_shell_sphere McStas Component
13.25 The SasView_correlation_length McStas Component
13.26 The SasView_cylinder McStas Component
13.27 The SasView_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.28 The SasView_dab McStas Component
13.29 The SasView_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.30 The SasView_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.31 The SasView_elliptical_cylinder McStas Component
13.32 The SasView_elliptical_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.33 The SasView_fcc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.34 The SasView_fcc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.35 The SasView_flexible_cylinder McStas Component
13.36 The SasView_flexible_cylinder_elliptical McStas Component
13.37 The SasView_fractal McStas Component
13.38 The SasView_fractal_core_shell McStas Component
13.39 The SasView_fuzzy_sphere McStas Component
13.40 The SasView_gauss_lorentz_gel McStas Component
13.41 The SasView_gaussian_peak McStas Component
13.42 The SasView_gel_fit McStas Component
13.43 The SasView_guinier McStas Component
13.44 The SasView_guinier_porod McStas Component
13.45 The SasView_hardsphere McStas Component
13.46 The SasView_hayter_msa McStas Component
13.47 The SasView_hollow_cylinder McStas Component
13.48 The SasView_hollow_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.49 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism McStas Component
13.50 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism_aniso McStas Component
13.51 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism_thin_walls McStas Component
13.52 The SasView_lamellar_hg McStas Component
13.53 The SasView_lamellar_hg_stack_caille McStas Component
13.54 The SasView_lamellar_stack_caille McStas Component
13.55 The SasView_lamellar_stack_paracrystal McStas Component
13.56 The SasView_line McStas Component
13.57 The SasView_linear_pearls McStas Component
13.58 The SasView_lorentz McStas Component
13.59 The SasView_mass_fractal McStas Component
13.60 The SasView_mass_surface_fractal McStas Component
13.61 The SasView_mono_gauss_coil McStas Component
13.62 The SasView_multilayer_vesicle McStas Component
13.63 The SasView_onion McStas Component
13.64 The SasView_parallelepiped McStas Component
13.65 The SasView_parallelepiped_aniso McStas Component
13.66 The SasView_peak_lorentz McStas Component
13.67 The SasView_pearl_necklace McStas Component
13.68 The SasView_poly_gauss_coil McStas Component
13.69 The SasView_polymer_excl_volume McStas Component
13.70 The SasView_polymer_micelle McStas Component
13.71 The SasView_porod McStas Component
13.72 The SasView_power_law McStas Component
13.73 The SasView_pringle McStas Component
13.74 The SasView_raspberry McStas Component
13.75 The SasView_rectangular_prism McStas Component
13.76 The SasView_rectangular_prism_aniso McStas Component
13.77 The SasView_rpa McStas Component
13.78 The SasView_sc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.79 The SasView_sc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.80 The SasView_sphere McStas Component
13.81 The SasView_spinodal McStas Component
13.82 The SasView_squarewell McStas Component
13.83 The SasView_stacked_disks McStas Component
13.84 The SasView_stacked_disks_aniso McStas Component
13.85 The SasView_star_polymer McStas Component
13.86 The SasView_stickyhardsphere McStas Component
13.87 The SasView_superball McStas Component
13.88 The SasView_superball_aniso McStas Component
13.89 The SasView_surface_fractal McStas Component
13.90 The SasView_teubner_strey McStas Component
13.91 The SasView_triaxial_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.92 The SasView_triaxial_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.93 The SasView_two_lorentzian McStas Component
13.94 The SasView_two_power_law McStas Component
13.95 The SasView_vesicle McStas Component
14 Contributed components
14.1 Contributed sources
14.2 The ISIS_moderator McStas Component
14.3 The ViewModISIS McStas Component
14.4 The SNS_source McStas Component
14.5 The SNS_source_analytic McStas Component
14.6 The Source_gen4 McStas Component
14.7 The Source_multi_surfaces McStas Component
14.8 The Source_custom McStas Component
14.9 The Source_pulsed McStas Component
14.10 Contributed guides and benders
14.11 The Guide_anyshape_r McStas Component
14.12 The Guide_curved McStas Component
14.13 The Guide_four_side McStas Component
14.14 The Guide_gravity_psd McStas Component
14.15 The Guide_honeycomb McStas Component
14.16 The Guide_m McStas Component
14.17 The Guide_multichannel McStas Component
14.18 The Vertical_Bender McStas Component
14.19 The NMO McStas Component
14.20 The Conics_EH McStas Component
14.21 The Conics_HE McStas Component
14.22 The Conics_PH McStas Component
14.23 The Conics_PP McStas Component
14.24 The FlatEllipse_finite_mirror McStas Component
14.25 The Commodus_I3 McStas Component
14.26 Contributed choppers and collimators
14.27 The FermiChopper_ILL McStas Component
14.28 The Fermi_chop2a McStas Component
14.29 The MultiDiskChopper McStas Component
14.30 The StatisticalChopper McStas Component
14.31 The StatisticalChopper_Monitor McStas Component
14.32 The Vertical_T0a McStas Component
14.33 The Collimator_ROC McStas Component
14.34 The Exact_radial_coll McStas Component
14.35 The CavitiesIn McStas Component
14.36 The CavitiesOut McStas Component
14.37 The multi_pipe McStas Component
14.38 Contributed filters and windows
14.39 The Al_window McStas Component
14.40 The Filter_graphite McStas Component
14.41 The Sapphire_Filter McStas Component
14.42 Contributed lenses and mirrors
14.43 The Lens McStas Component
14.44 The Lens_simple McStas Component
14.45 The Mirror_Curved_Bispectral McStas Component
14.46 The Mirror_Elliptic McStas Component
14.47 The Mirror_Elliptic_Bispectral McStas Component
14.48 The Mirror_Parabolic McStas Component
14.49 The SupermirrorFlat McStas Component
14.50 Contributed monochromators and analysers
14.51 The Monochromator_2foc McStas Component
14.52 The Monochromator_bent McStas Component
14.53 The Monochromator_bent_complex McStas Component
14.54 The PerfectCrystal McStas Component
14.55 The Spherical_Backscattering_Analyser McStas Component
14.56 Contributed polarisation components
14.57 The Foil_flipper_magnet McStas Component
14.58 The Pol_bender_tapering McStas Component
14.59 The Pol_triafield McStas Component
14.60 The Pol_pi_2_rotator McStas Component
14.61 The Transmission_polarisatorABSnT McStas Component
14.62 The Transmission_V_polarisator McStas Component
14.63 The Spin_random McStas Component
14.64 The PSD_Pol_monitor McStas Component
14.65 The PSD_spinDmon McStas Component
14.66 The PSD_spinUmon McStas Component
14.67 Contributed single-crystal and powder/polycrystalline samples
14.68 The Single_crystal_inelastic McStas Component
14.69 The SiC McStas Component
14.70 The Spot_sample McStas Component
14.71 The GISANS_sample McStas Component
14.72 Contributed inelastic (phonon and magnon) samples
14.73 The Dispersion_relation McStas Component
14.74 The Phonon_BvK_PG McStas Component
14.75 The SpinWave_BCO McStas Component
14.76 Contributed SANS samples
14.77 The SANSCurve McStas Component
14.78 The SANSCylinders McStas Component
14.79 The SANSEllipticCylinders McStas Component
14.80 The SANSLiposomes McStas Component
14.81 The SANSNanodiscs McStas Component
14.82 The SANSNanodiscsFast McStas Component
14.83 The SANSNanodiscsWithTags McStas Component
14.84 The SANSNanodiscsWithTagsFast McStas Component
14.85 The SANSPDB McStas Component
14.86 The SANSPDBFast McStas Component
14.87 The SANSShells McStas Component
14.88 The SANSSpheres McStas Component
14.89 The SANSSpheresPolydisperse McStas Component
14.90 The SANS_AnySamp McStas Component
14.91 The SANS_DebyeS McStas Component
14.92 The SANS_Guinier McStas Component
14.93 The SANS_Liposomes_Abs McStas Component
14.94 The SANS_benchmark2 McStas Component
14.95 The Sans_liposomes_new McStas Component
14.96 The Multilayer_Sample McStas Component
14.97 Contributed monitors and detectors
14.98 The E_4PI McStas Component
14.99 The NPI_tof_dhkl_detector McStas Component
14.100 The NPI_tof_theta_monitor McStas Component
14.101 The PSD_Detector McStas Component
14.102 The PSD_monitor_Filter McStas Component
14.103 The PSD_monitor_rad McStas Component
14.104 The Radial_div McStas Component
14.105 The SANSQMonitor McStas Component
14.106 The TOFSANSdet McStas Component
14.107 The TOF2Q_cyl_monitor McStas Component
14.108 The TOF_PSDmonitor McStas Component
14.109 The TOF_PSDmonitor_toQ McStas Component
14.110 Other contributed components
14.111 The Wavelength_Diffuser McStas Component
14.112 Contributed MCViNE sample components
14.113 The MCViNE_SQ McStas Component
14.114 The MCViNE_SvQ McStas Component
14.115 The MCViNE_SQE McStas Component
14.116 The MCViNE_E_Q McStas Component
14.117 The MCViNE_E_vQ McStas Component
14.118 The MCViNE_Broadened_E_Q McStas Component
14.119 The MCViNE_LorentzianBroadened_E_Q McStas Component
14.120 The MCViNE_ConstantEnergyTransfer McStas Component
14.121 The MCViNE_ConstantQE McStas Component
14.122 The MCViNE_ConstantvQE McStas Component
14.123 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentElastic McStas Component
14.124 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentInelastic McStas Component
14.125 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_PolyXtal McStas Component
14.126 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_SingleXtal McStas Component
14.127 The MCViNE_DGSSXRes McStas Component
14.128 The MCViNE_SANS2D_ongrid McStas Component
14.129 Contributed MCViNE kernels as Union processes
14.130 The MCViNE_SQ_process McStas Component
14.131 The MCViNE_SvQ_process McStas Component
14.132 The MCViNE_SQE_process McStas Component
14.133 The MCViNE_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.134 The MCViNE_E_vQ_process McStas Component
14.135 The MCViNE_Broadened_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.136 The MCViNE_LorentzianBroadened_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.137 The MCViNE_ConstantEnergyTransfer_process McStas Component
14.138 The MCViNE_ConstantQE_process McStas Component
14.139 The MCViNE_ConstantvQE_process McStas Component
14.140 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentElastic_process McStas Component
14.141 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentInelastic_process McStas Component
14.142 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_PolyXtal_process McStas Component
14.143 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_SingleXtal_process McStas Component
14.144 The MCViNE_DGSSXRes_process McStas Component
14.145 The MCViNE_SANS2D_ongrid_process McStas Component
15 Obsolete components
15.1 The V_sample McStas Component
15.2 The Virtual_input McStas Component
15.3 The Virtual_output McStas Component
15.4 The Virtual_mcnp_input McStas Component
15.5 The Virtual_mcnp_output McStas Component
15.6 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_input McStas Component
15.7 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_output McStas Component
15.8 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_Guide McStas Component
15.9 The Virtual_tripoli4_input McStas Component
15.10 The Virtual_tripoli4_output McStas Component
15.11 The Vitess_input McStas Component
15.12 The Vitess_output McStas Component
15.13 The ESS_moderator_short McStas Component
15.14 The Beam_spy McStas Component
15.15 The SasView_model McStas Component
A Polarisation in McStas
A.1 The Polarization Vector
A.2 Polarized Neutron Scattering
A.3 Magnetic fields: the precession algorithm and field framework
A.4 Polarisation components in McStas
A.5 Test and example instruments
B The Union components
B.1 Motivation
B.2 Component classes
B.3 The propagation algorithm
B.4 A complete example
B.5 Further examples and worked tutorials
C Libraries and constants
C.1 Run-time calls and functions (mcstas-r)
C.2 Reading a data file into a vector/matrix (Table input, read_table-lib)
C.3 Monitor_nD Library
C.4 Adaptive importance sampling Library
C.5 Vitess import/export Library
C.6 Constants for unit conversion etc.
D The McStas terminology
Bibliography
Bibliography
Index and keywords
Index
Preface and acknowledgements
Preface and acknowledgements
1 About the component library
1.1 Authorship
1.2 Symbols for neutron scattering and simulation
1.3 Component coordinate system
1.4 About data files
1.5 Component source code
1.6 Documentation
1.7 Component validation
1.8 Disclaimer, bugs
2 Monte Carlo Techniques and simulation strategy
2.1 Neutron spectrometer simulations
2.2 The neutron weight
2.3 Weight factor transformations during a Monte Carlo choice
2.4 Adaptive and Stratified sampling
2.5 Accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations
3 Source components
3.1 The Source_simple McStas Component
3.2 The Source_div McStas Component
3.3 The Source_Maxwell_3 McStas Component
3.4 The Source_gen McStas Component
3.5 The Moderator McStas Component
3.6 The Source_adapt McStas Component
3.7 The Adapt_check McStas Component
3.8 The Source_Optimizer McStas Component
3.9 The Monitor_Optimizer McStas Component
3.10 Other sources components: contributed pulsed sources, virtual sources (event files)
4 Beam optical components: Arms, slits, collimators, and filters
4.1 The Arm McStas Component
4.2 The Slit McStas Component
4.3 The Beamstop McStas Component
4.4 The Filter_gen McStas Component
4.5 The NCrystal_filter McStas Component
4.6 The Collimator_linear McStas Component
4.7 The Collimator_radial McStas Component
5 Reflecting optical components: mirrors, and guides
5.1 The Guide McStas Component
5.2 The Guide_gravity McStas Component
6 Moving optical components: Choppers and velocity selectors
6.1 The DiskChopper McStas Component
6.2 The FermiChopper McStas Component
6.3 The Vitess_ChopperFermi McStas Component
6.4 The V_selector McStas Component
6.5 The Selector McStas Component
7 Polarising optics and magnetic field components
7.1 Setting and analysing polarisation
7.2 The Set_pol McStas Component
7.3 The PolAnalyser_ideal McStas Component
7.4 The Pol_SF_ideal McStas Component
7.5 Polarising mirrors and guides
7.6 The Pol_mirror McStas Component
7.7 The Pol_bender McStas Component
7.8 The Pol_guide_mirror McStas Component
7.9 The Pol_guide_vmirror McStas Component
7.10 Magnetic field components
7.11 The Pol_Bfield McStas Component
7.12 The Pol_Bfield_stop McStas Component
7.13 The Pol_FieldBox McStas Component
7.14 The Pol_constBfield McStas Component
7.15 The Pol_tabled_field McStas Component
8 Monochromators
8.1 The Monochromator_flat McStas Component
8.2 The Monochromator_curved McStas Component
8.3 Monochromator_pol: A polarizing monochromator
8.4 The Monochromator_pol McStas Component
8.5 Single_crystal: Thick single crystal monochromator plate with multiple scattering
8.6 Phase space transformer - moving monochromator
9 Samples
9.1 The Incoherent McStas Component
9.2 The Tunneling_sample McStas Component
9.3 The PowderN McStas Component
9.4 The Single_crystal McStas Component
9.5 The Sans_spheres McStas Component
9.6 The Phonon_simple McStas Component
9.7 The Isotropic_Sqw McStas Component
9.8 Magnetic samples, magnons and NCrystal
9.9 The Magnon_bcc McStas Component
9.10 The Single_magnetic_crystal McStas Component
9.11 The NCrystal_sample McStas Component
9.12 Samples for resolution-function calculations
9.13 The Res_sample McStas Component
9.14 The TOFRes_sample McStas Component
10 Monitors and detectors
10.1 The TOF_monitor McStas Component
10.2 The TOF2E_monitor McStas Component
10.3 The E_monitor McStas Component
10.4 The L_monitor McStas Component
10.5 The PSD_monitor McStas Component
10.6 The Divergence_monitor McStas Component
10.7 The DivPos_monitor McStas Component
10.8 The Monitor_nD McStas Component
10.9 The Res_monitor McStas Component
10.10 Polarisation-sensitive monitors
10.11 The Pol_monitor McStas Component
10.12 The PolLambda_monitor McStas Component
10.13 The MeanPolLambda_monitor McStas Component
10.14 The PSD_monitor_4PI_spin McStas Component
11 Special-purpose components
11.1 MCPL: splitting simulations via portable neutron event files
11.2 The MCPL_input McStas Component
11.3 The MCPL_output McStas Component
11.4 KDSource: kernel-density-estimated source from particle lists
11.5 The KDSource McStas Component
11.6 Progress_bar: Simulation progress and automatic saving
11.7 Beam_spy: A beam analyzer
12 The Union framework: sample environments and multiple scattering
12.1 Union framework core: initialization, master, and termination
12.2 The Union_init McStas Component
12.3 The Union_master McStas Component
12.4 The Union_master_GPU McStas Component
12.5 The Union_stop McStas Component
12.6 Union geometry components
12.7 The Union_box McStas Component
12.8 The Union_cylinder McStas Component
12.9 The Union_sphere McStas Component
12.10 The Union_cone McStas Component
12.11 The Union_mesh McStas Component
12.12 Union material definition
12.13 The Union_make_material McStas Component
12.14 The Union_NCrystal_material McStas Component
12.15 Union scattering process components
12.16 The Non_process McStas Component
12.17 The Incoherent_process McStas Component
12.18 The Inhomogenous_incoherent_process McStas Component
12.19 The IncoherentPhonon_process McStas Component
12.20 The PhononSimple_process McStas Component
12.21 The Powder_process McStas Component
12.22 The Single_crystal_process McStas Component
12.23 The AF_HB_1D_process McStas Component
12.24 The Texture_process McStas Component
12.25 The NCrystal_process McStas Component
12.26 The Template_process McStas Component
12.27 The Template_surface McStas Component
12.28 The Mirror_surface McStas Component
12.29 Union loggers (event/history recording)
12.30 The Union_logger_1D McStas Component
12.31 The Union_logger_2DQ McStas Component
12.32 The Union_logger_2D_kf McStas Component
12.33 The Union_logger_2D_kf_time McStas Component
12.34 The Union_logger_2D_space McStas Component
12.35 The Union_logger_2D_space_time McStas Component
12.36 The Union_logger_3D_space McStas Component
12.37 Union absorption loggers
12.38 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space McStas Component
12.39 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_event McStas Component
12.40 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_tof McStas Component
12.41 The Union_abs_logger_1D_space_tof_to_lambda McStas Component
12.42 The Union_abs_logger_1D_time McStas Component
12.43 The Union_abs_logger_2D_space McStas Component
12.44 The Union_abs_logger_event McStas Component
12.45 The Union_abs_logger_nD McStas Component
12.46 The Union_abs_logger_nD_scintillator McStas Component
12.47 Union conditionals
12.48 The Union_conditional_PSD McStas Component
12.49 The Union_conditional_standard McStas Component
13 SasView/sasmodels form factors: small-angle scattering
13.1 SasView form-factor components
13.2 The SasView_adsorbed_layer McStas Component
13.3 The SasView_barbell McStas Component
13.4 The SasView_barbell_aniso McStas Component
13.5 The SasView_bcc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.6 The SasView_bcc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.7 The SasView_binary_hard_sphere McStas Component
13.8 The SasView_broad_peak McStas Component
13.9 The SasView_capped_cylinder McStas Component
13.10 The SasView_capped_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.11 The SasView_core_multi_shell McStas Component
13.12 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle McStas Component
13.13 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_aniso McStas Component
13.14 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical McStas Component
13.15 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_aniso McStas Component
13.16 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_belt_rough McStas Component
13.17 The SasView_core_shell_bicelle_elliptical_belt_rough_aniso McStas Component
13.18 The SasView_core_shell_cylinder McStas Component
13.19 The SasView_core_shell_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.20 The SasView_core_shell_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.21 The SasView_core_shell_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.22 The SasView_core_shell_parallelepiped McStas Component
13.23 The SasView_core_shell_parallelepiped_aniso McStas Component
13.24 The SasView_core_shell_sphere McStas Component
13.25 The SasView_correlation_length McStas Component
13.26 The SasView_cylinder McStas Component
13.27 The SasView_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.28 The SasView_dab McStas Component
13.29 The SasView_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.30 The SasView_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.31 The SasView_elliptical_cylinder McStas Component
13.32 The SasView_elliptical_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.33 The SasView_fcc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.34 The SasView_fcc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.35 The SasView_flexible_cylinder McStas Component
13.36 The SasView_flexible_cylinder_elliptical McStas Component
13.37 The SasView_fractal McStas Component
13.38 The SasView_fractal_core_shell McStas Component
13.39 The SasView_fuzzy_sphere McStas Component
13.40 The SasView_gauss_lorentz_gel McStas Component
13.41 The SasView_gaussian_peak McStas Component
13.42 The SasView_gel_fit McStas Component
13.43 The SasView_guinier McStas Component
13.44 The SasView_guinier_porod McStas Component
13.45 The SasView_hardsphere McStas Component
13.46 The SasView_hayter_msa McStas Component
13.47 The SasView_hollow_cylinder McStas Component
13.48 The SasView_hollow_cylinder_aniso McStas Component
13.49 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism McStas Component
13.50 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism_aniso McStas Component
13.51 The SasView_hollow_rectangular_prism_thin_walls McStas Component
13.52 The SasView_lamellar_hg McStas Component
13.53 The SasView_lamellar_hg_stack_caille McStas Component
13.54 The SasView_lamellar_stack_caille McStas Component
13.55 The SasView_lamellar_stack_paracrystal McStas Component
13.56 The SasView_line McStas Component
13.57 The SasView_linear_pearls McStas Component
13.58 The SasView_lorentz McStas Component
13.59 The SasView_mass_fractal McStas Component
13.60 The SasView_mass_surface_fractal McStas Component
13.61 The SasView_mono_gauss_coil McStas Component
13.62 The SasView_multilayer_vesicle McStas Component
13.63 The SasView_onion McStas Component
13.64 The SasView_parallelepiped McStas Component
13.65 The SasView_parallelepiped_aniso McStas Component
13.66 The SasView_peak_lorentz McStas Component
13.67 The SasView_pearl_necklace McStas Component
13.68 The SasView_poly_gauss_coil McStas Component
13.69 The SasView_polymer_excl_volume McStas Component
13.70 The SasView_polymer_micelle McStas Component
13.71 The SasView_porod McStas Component
13.72 The SasView_power_law McStas Component
13.73 The SasView_pringle McStas Component
13.74 The SasView_raspberry McStas Component
13.75 The SasView_rectangular_prism McStas Component
13.76 The SasView_rectangular_prism_aniso McStas Component
13.77 The SasView_rpa McStas Component
13.78 The SasView_sc_paracrystal McStas Component
13.79 The SasView_sc_paracrystal_aniso McStas Component
13.80 The SasView_sphere McStas Component
13.81 The SasView_spinodal McStas Component
13.82 The SasView_squarewell McStas Component
13.83 The SasView_stacked_disks McStas Component
13.84 The SasView_stacked_disks_aniso McStas Component
13.85 The SasView_star_polymer McStas Component
13.86 The SasView_stickyhardsphere McStas Component
13.87 The SasView_superball McStas Component
13.88 The SasView_superball_aniso McStas Component
13.89 The SasView_surface_fractal McStas Component
13.90 The SasView_teubner_strey McStas Component
13.91 The SasView_triaxial_ellipsoid McStas Component
13.92 The SasView_triaxial_ellipsoid_aniso McStas Component
13.93 The SasView_two_lorentzian McStas Component
13.94 The SasView_two_power_law McStas Component
13.95 The SasView_vesicle McStas Component
14 Contributed components
14.1 Contributed sources
14.2 The ISIS_moderator McStas Component
14.3 The ViewModISIS McStas Component
14.4 The SNS_source McStas Component
14.5 The SNS_source_analytic McStas Component
14.6 The Source_gen4 McStas Component
14.7 The Source_multi_surfaces McStas Component
14.8 The Source_custom McStas Component
14.9 The Source_pulsed McStas Component
14.10 Contributed guides and benders
14.11 The Guide_anyshape_r McStas Component
14.12 The Guide_curved McStas Component
14.13 The Guide_four_side McStas Component
14.14 The Guide_gravity_psd McStas Component
14.15 The Guide_honeycomb McStas Component
14.16 The Guide_m McStas Component
14.17 The Guide_multichannel McStas Component
14.18 The Vertical_Bender McStas Component
14.19 The NMO McStas Component
14.20 The Conics_EH McStas Component
14.21 The Conics_HE McStas Component
14.22 The Conics_PH McStas Component
14.23 The Conics_PP McStas Component
14.24 The FlatEllipse_finite_mirror McStas Component
14.25 The Commodus_I3 McStas Component
14.26 Contributed choppers and collimators
14.27 The FermiChopper_ILL McStas Component
14.28 The Fermi_chop2a McStas Component
14.29 The MultiDiskChopper McStas Component
14.30 The StatisticalChopper McStas Component
14.31 The StatisticalChopper_Monitor McStas Component
14.32 The Vertical_T0a McStas Component
14.33 The Collimator_ROC McStas Component
14.34 The Exact_radial_coll McStas Component
14.35 The CavitiesIn McStas Component
14.36 The CavitiesOut McStas Component
14.37 The multi_pipe McStas Component
14.38 Contributed filters and windows
14.39 The Al_window McStas Component
14.40 The Filter_graphite McStas Component
14.41 The Sapphire_Filter McStas Component
14.42 Contributed lenses and mirrors
14.43 The Lens McStas Component
14.44 The Lens_simple McStas Component
14.45 The Mirror_Curved_Bispectral McStas Component
14.46 The Mirror_Elliptic McStas Component
14.47 The Mirror_Elliptic_Bispectral McStas Component
14.48 The Mirror_Parabolic McStas Component
14.49 The SupermirrorFlat McStas Component
14.50 Contributed monochromators and analysers
14.51 The Monochromator_2foc McStas Component
14.52 The Monochromator_bent McStas Component
14.53 The Monochromator_bent_complex McStas Component
14.54 The PerfectCrystal McStas Component
14.55 The Spherical_Backscattering_Analyser McStas Component
14.56 Contributed polarisation components
14.57 The Foil_flipper_magnet McStas Component
14.58 The Pol_bender_tapering McStas Component
14.59 The Pol_triafield McStas Component
14.60 The Pol_pi_2_rotator McStas Component
14.61 The Transmission_polarisatorABSnT McStas Component
14.62 The Transmission_V_polarisator McStas Component
14.63 The Spin_random McStas Component
14.64 The PSD_Pol_monitor McStas Component
14.65 The PSD_spinDmon McStas Component
14.66 The PSD_spinUmon McStas Component
14.67 Contributed single-crystal and powder/polycrystalline samples
14.68 The Single_crystal_inelastic McStas Component
14.69 The SiC McStas Component
14.70 The Spot_sample McStas Component
14.71 The GISANS_sample McStas Component
14.72 Contributed inelastic (phonon and magnon) samples
14.73 The Dispersion_relation McStas Component
14.74 The Phonon_BvK_PG McStas Component
14.75 The SpinWave_BCO McStas Component
14.76 Contributed SANS samples
14.77 The SANSCurve McStas Component
14.78 The SANSCylinders McStas Component
14.79 The SANSEllipticCylinders McStas Component
14.80 The SANSLiposomes McStas Component
14.81 The SANSNanodiscs McStas Component
14.82 The SANSNanodiscsFast McStas Component
14.83 The SANSNanodiscsWithTags McStas Component
14.84 The SANSNanodiscsWithTagsFast McStas Component
14.85 The SANSPDB McStas Component
14.86 The SANSPDBFast McStas Component
14.87 The SANSShells McStas Component
14.88 The SANSSpheres McStas Component
14.89 The SANSSpheresPolydisperse McStas Component
14.90 The SANS_AnySamp McStas Component
14.91 The SANS_DebyeS McStas Component
14.92 The SANS_Guinier McStas Component
14.93 The SANS_Liposomes_Abs McStas Component
14.94 The SANS_benchmark2 McStas Component
14.95 The Sans_liposomes_new McStas Component
14.96 The Multilayer_Sample McStas Component
14.97 Contributed monitors and detectors
14.98 The E_4PI McStas Component
14.99 The NPI_tof_dhkl_detector McStas Component
14.100 The NPI_tof_theta_monitor McStas Component
14.101 The PSD_Detector McStas Component
14.102 The PSD_monitor_Filter McStas Component
14.103 The PSD_monitor_rad McStas Component
14.104 The Radial_div McStas Component
14.105 The SANSQMonitor McStas Component
14.106 The TOFSANSdet McStas Component
14.107 The TOF2Q_cyl_monitor McStas Component
14.108 The TOF_PSDmonitor McStas Component
14.109 The TOF_PSDmonitor_toQ McStas Component
14.110 Other contributed components
14.111 The Wavelength_Diffuser McStas Component
14.112 Contributed MCViNE sample components
14.113 The MCViNE_SQ McStas Component
14.114 The MCViNE_SvQ McStas Component
14.115 The MCViNE_SQE McStas Component
14.116 The MCViNE_E_Q McStas Component
14.117 The MCViNE_E_vQ McStas Component
14.118 The MCViNE_Broadened_E_Q McStas Component
14.119 The MCViNE_LorentzianBroadened_E_Q McStas Component
14.120 The MCViNE_ConstantEnergyTransfer McStas Component
14.121 The MCViNE_ConstantQE McStas Component
14.122 The MCViNE_ConstantvQE McStas Component
14.123 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentElastic McStas Component
14.124 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentInelastic McStas Component
14.125 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_PolyXtal McStas Component
14.126 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_SingleXtal McStas Component
14.127 The MCViNE_DGSSXRes McStas Component
14.128 The MCViNE_SANS2D_ongrid McStas Component
14.129 Contributed MCViNE kernels as Union processes
14.130 The MCViNE_SQ_process McStas Component
14.131 The MCViNE_SvQ_process McStas Component
14.132 The MCViNE_SQE_process McStas Component
14.133 The MCViNE_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.134 The MCViNE_E_vQ_process McStas Component
14.135 The MCViNE_Broadened_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.136 The MCViNE_LorentzianBroadened_E_Q_process McStas Component
14.137 The MCViNE_ConstantEnergyTransfer_process McStas Component
14.138 The MCViNE_ConstantQE_process McStas Component
14.139 The MCViNE_ConstantvQE_process McStas Component
14.140 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentElastic_process McStas Component
14.141 The MCViNE_Phonon_IncoherentInelastic_process McStas Component
14.142 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_PolyXtal_process McStas Component
14.143 The MCViNE_Phonon_CoherentInelastic_SingleXtal_process McStas Component
14.144 The MCViNE_DGSSXRes_process McStas Component
14.145 The MCViNE_SANS2D_ongrid_process McStas Component
15 Obsolete components
15.1 The V_sample McStas Component
15.2 The Virtual_input McStas Component
15.3 The Virtual_output McStas Component
15.4 The Virtual_mcnp_input McStas Component
15.5 The Virtual_mcnp_output McStas Component
15.6 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_input McStas Component
15.7 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_output McStas Component
15.8 The Virtual_mcnp_ss_Guide McStas Component
15.9 The Virtual_tripoli4_input McStas Component
15.10 The Virtual_tripoli4_output McStas Component
15.11 The Vitess_input McStas Component
15.12 The Vitess_output McStas Component
15.13 The ESS_moderator_short McStas Component
15.14 The Beam_spy McStas Component
15.15 The SasView_model McStas Component
A Polarisation in McStas
A.1 The Polarization Vector
A.2 Polarized Neutron Scattering
A.3 Magnetic fields: the precession algorithm and field framework
A.4 Polarisation components in McStas
A.5 Test and example instruments
B The Union components
B.1 Motivation
B.2 Component classes
B.3 The propagation algorithm
B.4 A complete example
B.5 Further examples and worked tutorials
C Libraries and constants
C.1 Run-time calls and functions (mcstas-r)
C.2 Reading a data file into a vector/matrix (Table input, read_table-lib)
C.3 Monitor_nD Library
C.4 Adaptive importance sampling Library
C.5 Vitess import/export Library
C.6 Constants for unit conversion etc.
D The McStas terminology
Bibliography
Bibliography
Index and keywords
Index
