On these notes

After this brief introduction, we will continue the introductory part of this WIKI by presenting the formalism of the neutron scattering process (Basics of neutron scattering). In part II, we go more into details with neutron sources, moderators and guide systems (Neutron sources and moderators), as well as components for neutron optics and instruments (Instrumentation).

In the later parts, we will describe the actual applications of neutron scattering. For each case, we give the scientific motivation and the relevant corresponding description of the scientific field. We then proceed to the theory for that particular type of scattering, a score of illustrative examples on scientific use and data analysis, and a number of relevant problems.

• Part III describes the study of material structure by elastic neutron scattering or absorption. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is presented on the Small angle neutron scattering page, reflectometry on the Neutron reflectivity page, diffraction from crystals Diffraction from crystals, and tomography on the Imaging page.
• Part IV deals with the study of dynamics in materials by inelastic neutron scattering, in particular the study of coherent lattice vibrations (phonons) on the page Scattering from lattice vibrations.
• Part V describes elastic and inelastic scattering from magnetic materials on the Magnetic neutron scattering and Inelastic magnetic scattering pages.

The final part VI contains an introduction to neutron ray-tracing simulations, often used for instrument design and for simulating the effect of the combined geometry of neutron scattering instruments. Here, however, they are also used to form the basis for a number of working problems shaped as "virtual experiments", where the student of these notes may investigate a problem in neutron science or instrumentation by means of simulations .

Reading the text

The text is intended so that after the introduction in part I and part II, each part can in principle be studied independently. However, the parts IV and V rely to a minor extent on basic results from part III. Part IV forms the basis for the simulation problems, but requires only knowledge of part II.

The reader is assumed to have a general knowledge of classical physics and complex numbers for the description of waves, and a general knowledge of mathematics, corresponding to first year curriculum on most university educations in Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering. The main chapters of the text assumes very little knowledge of quantum mechanics. At places where a deeper quantum mechanical presentation could be elucidating for some students, there will be follow-up sections containing the formal derivation of the results. These sections can be omitted without essential loss of contents; they are marked by an asterisk (*).

Future extensions

In later version of this note, we aim to include a number of other utilizations of neutron scattering, like single crystal diffraction, and scattering from liquids.

More advanced topics, like a detailed account of scattering with polarized neutrons, analytical calculations of instrumental resolution, and the production and use of ultracold neutrons will be written in one or more extensions to the notes.