The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently developing a 1.4 billon dollar neutron facility, the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). SNS will be a pulsed neutrons source based on a linear accelator and heavy metal target. When completed in 2006, SNS will produce neutron beams ten times more intense then current neutron sources.

The neutron source at SNS will work as follows. An ion source will create negative hydrogen ions which will be funneled into the linear particle accelerator (linac). The ions will travel through the linac and be accelerated to high energies. The ions will pass through a foil, stripping them of all their electrons.

At this point, the particles are only protons. The protons enter into an accumulation ring and then are released on a path with a Mercury target. The force of a proton's collision with a heavy Mercury atom causes the expulsion of neutrons (spallation). The hot neutrons are cooled with a moderator and are guided to the instruments.