Quasielastic neutron scattering
Quasielastic neutron scattering designates a limiting case of inelastic neutron scattering, characterized by energy transfers being small compared to the incident energy of the scattered particles. In a more strict meaning, it denotes scattering processes where dynamics in the sample lead to a broadening of the incident neutron spectrum, in contrast to, e.g., the scattering from a diffusionless crystal, where the scattered neutron energy spectrum consists of an elastic line and a number of well-separated inelastic lines due to the creation or annihilation of phonons with specific energies.
The term quasielastic scattering was originally coined in nuclear physics. It was applied to thermal neutron scattering since the early 1960s, notably in an article by Leon van Hove and in a highly cited one by Pierre Gilles de Gennes.
QENS is typically investigated on high-resolution spectrometers.
It is used to investigate topics like
- solid-state diffusion
- slow modes in crystals
- relaxation of viscous liquids
Conference Series
Year | Venue | Organizing Centre | Proceedings | Editor |
1992 | Windsor, UK | ISIS | ? | |
1993 | San Sebastian, Spain | university | ? | |
1995 | Parma, Italy | university | ? | |
1998 | Nyköping, Sweden | Studsvik research reactor | Physica B 266 pp. 1–138 | |
2000 | Edinburgh, UK | university | Physica B 301 pp. 1–168 | V. Arrighi and M.T.F. Telling |
2002 | Potsdam/Berlin, Germany | Hahn-Meitner-Institut | Chemical Physics 292 pp. 119–534 | R.E.Lechner |
2004 | Arcachon, France | ? | ||
2006 | Bloomington, USA | Low Energy Neutron Source, Indiana University Cyclotron Facility | MRS Conference Series | P.E. Sokol et al. |
2009 | Villigen, Switzerland | Paul-Scherrer-Institut | Z. Phys. Chem. 224 pp. 1–287 | R. Hempelmann et al. |
2012 | Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan | J-PARC | O. Yamamuro et al. | |
2014 | Autrans, France | Institut Laue-Langevin | B. Frick, M.M. Koza, M. Boehm, and H. Mutka | |
2016 | Berlin, Germany | Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin | M. Russina et al. |
Textbooks
- M. Beé, Quasielastic Neutron Scattering, Adam Hilger: Bristol.
- R. Hempelmann, Quasielastic Neutron Scattering and Solid State Diffusion, Clarendon Press: Oxford.