MARIA, the MAgnetic Reflectometer with high Incident Angle received its first neutrons on Dec. 18. 2009.

Within less than one year the instrument was build up at the neutron guide hall at FRM II by instrument scientist Stefan Mattauch of JCNS and project engineer Vincenzo Fracassi of ZAT Jülich leading a large group of people from Forschungszentrum Jülich and FRM II. Their common efforts setup all basic instrument parts in the guide hall and lead to a first test with first neutrons now.
By this important milestone in the construction of MARIA the instrument will now be finalized and the commissioning of the instrument will begin in 2010. First measurements and users are expected at MARIA then in the second half of 2010.