Neutron Scattering for Condensed Matter Studies
Week 1: Properties of neutron, Comparison with other probes: optical rays, x-rays, electrons, Nature of interaction between neutrons and matter at microscopic length scale Week 2:Neutron Sources: Reactors and Accelerator based sources, Neutron Scattering Instrumentation for condensed matter studies vis a vis neutron sources, Neutron detectors. Week 3:Principles of Neutron Scattering under Born approximation, Scattering Laws, coherent and incoherent scattering, Principle of detailed balance, correlation functions. Week 4:Neutron diffraction at different length scales: microscopic to mesoscopic. Week 5:Neutron diffraction from powders, single crystals, liquid and amorphous systems Week 6:Magnetic structure using neutron diffraction Week 7:Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) from precipitates and inhomogeneities Week 8:Polarized Neutron Reflectometry (PNR) from magnetic thin films Week 9:Back to Born approximation and scattering law. Inelastic and Quasi-elastic neutron scattering for dynamics in condensed matter. Week 10:Inelastic neutron scattering from phonons. Experiments to determine phonon dispersion relations using single crystals and phonon density of states from powders. Magnons. Week 11:Quasi-elastic neutron scattering to determine stochastic dynamics like diffusion in solids and liquids Week 12:Detailed discussion on available neutron sources and spectrometers at nuclear reactors and spallation neutron sources for experiment design with examples.
