Neutron Diffraction - Intense

Like electrons and photons, neutrons are particles and at the same time

λ = h / mv
Neutron diffraction can be regarded as a de Broglie wave with a wavelength of about 1 nm. Thermal neutrons in an atomic reactor have a wavelength of about 0.1 nm, so they can be used for crystal diffraction in the same way as X-ray diffraction. Neutron diffraction differs from X-ray diffraction in that the scatterers are atomic nuclei rather than electrons, and the scattering strength is determined by the strength of the interaction between the atomic nucleus and the neutron. Therefore, even for light atoms such as hydrogen, strong diffraction lines appear when the scattering strength is strong. For this reason, neutron diffraction plays an important role in determining the atomic positions of hydrogen. Neutrons also have spin, so if the atom has a magnetic moment, they will be scattered by it. For this reason, neutron diffraction is effective in determining the spin arrangement of antiferromagnetic materials. Furthermore, experiments on inelastic scattering of neutrons by lattice vibrations and spin waves can determine the dispersion relationship that represents the relationship between the frequency and wave number of these excitation waves.

Source: Morikita Publishing "Chemical Dictionary (2nd Edition)" Information about the Chemical Dictionary 2nd Edition

電子や光子と同じく，中性子も粒子であると同時に

λ ＝ h/mv
の波長をもつド・ブロイ波とみなすことができる．原子炉内のいわゆる熱中性子は，その波長が0.1 nm 程度の大きさであるため，X線回折と同じように結晶回折に利用することができる．中性子回折がX線回折の場合と違う点は，散乱体が電子ではなく原子核である点であって，散乱強度は原子核と中性子との相互作用の強さで決まるから，水素のように軽い原子でも，散乱強度が強い場合には強い回折線が現れる．このため中性子回折は，水素の原子位置の決定などに重要な役割を果たす．中性子はまたスピンをもっているから，原子が磁気モーメントをもっているとそれによって散乱される．このため，反強磁性体などのスピン配列の決定に威力を発揮する．また，中性子の格子振動やスピン波による非弾性散乱の実験によって，これらの励起波の振動数と波数との間の関係を表す分散関係を決定することができる．

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