The Virtual Instrumentation Tool for the ESS (VITESS) is an open source software package for the simulation of neutron scattering experiments. The software is maintained and developed by the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ),[1] and available for Windows, Linux and Macintosh on the VITESS homepage. It is widely used for simulation of existing neutron scattering instruments as well as for the development of new instruments.[2][3][4][5][6]
VITESS was initiated by F. Mezei in 1998, closely followed by the first release of VITESS in 1999 and version 2 in 2001.[7] The best source of information about the current version and planned releases is the software homepage.
Although it was initially developed to aid the design of neutron scattering instruments for the European Spallation Source (ESS)[8] as the name implies, VITESS serves as a generic simulation tool for a large variety of neutron scattering instruments at all major pulsed or continuous neutron sources. It comprises all established instrument hardware such as neutron optics (e.g. guides, apertures, lenses), wavelength selectors (e.g. disc choppers, velocity selectors) and a growing variety of samples, allowing to perform virtual experiments including sophisticated setups like polarized neutrons in magnetic fields.
Parameters specifying the instrument components can be given by means of a graphical user interface, which makes VITESS comparably easy to use and quick to learn for new users, while advanced users can contribute their own modules. The validity of VITESS simulations is tested by comparison with other neutron simulation packages and with measurements at neutron scattering facilities.[9][10]
Other simulation packages for neutron scattering instruments include McStas, Restrax, NISP and IDEAS.
^G Zsigmond, K Lieutenant, S Manoshin, H.N Bordallo, J.D.M Champion, J Peters, J.M Carpenter, F Mezei, A survey of simulations of complex neutronic systems by VITESS, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Volume 529, Issues 1–3, 21 August 2004, Pages 218-222, ISSN0168-9002, 10.1016/j.nima.2004.04.205.
^Sergey Manoshin, Alexander Belushkin, Alexander Ioffe, VITESS polarized neutron suite: allows for the simulation of performance of any existing polarized neutron scattering instrument, Physica B: Condensed Matter, Volume 406, Issue 12, June 2011, Pages 2337–2341, ISSN0921-4526, 10.1016/j.physb.2010.11.080.
^Amitesh Paul, Wavelength resolution options for a time-of-flight reflectometer using VITESS code of simulation, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Volume 646, Issue 1, 1 August 2011, Pages 158-166, ISSN0168-9002, 10.1016/j.nima.2011.01.028.
^Phillip M. Bentley, Shane J. Kennedy, Ken H. Andersen, Damián Martin Rodríguez, David F.R. Mildner, Correction of optical aberrations in elliptic neutron guides, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Volume 693, 21 November 2012, Pages 268-275, ISSN0168-9002, 10.1016/j.nima.2012.07.002.arXiv:1201.4286
^L.D. Cussen, D. Nekrassov, C. Zendler, K. Lieutenant, Multiple reflections in elliptic neutron guide tubes, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Available online 5 December 2012, ISSN0168-9002, 10.1016/j.nima.2012.11.183.
^U. Filges et al., FOCUS Intercomparison using McStas/VITESS/Restrax", Presentation at the International Workshop on Applications of Advanced MC simulations, 2006