Scientific Scope of the seminar
The investigation of matter requires a variety of complementary probes in order to obtain all information necessary for a thorough understanding of its properties.
Photons probe in a unique way the geometric and electronic structure of matter. Synchrotron radiation sources provide well collimated high intensity photon beams from the Terahertz to the hard X-ray regime. Tuning the wavelength to absorption edges allows for element specific structural and electronic studies in materials science including magnetic properties, as well as for solving the phase problem in protein crystallography. Beams with selectable circular polarization revolutionised the investigation of magnetic properties. Depending on the wavelength, the experiments can be made surface, interface or bulk sensitive and can probe samples under special environments. The coherent fraction of the X-ray beams allows for high resolution holography and micro-tomography of the target, whereas dynamics can be studied by intensity correlation spectroscopy. The very high intensity in focal spots down to the nm range enables the investigation of extremely small sample volumes and of matter under extreme conditions. Compared to the best synchrotron radiation sources, X-ray free-electron lasers (FEL) provide a gain of 4 and 9 orders of magnitude in average and peak brilliance, respectively. Beams are coherent and a pulse length of the order of 50-100 fs allows for the investigation of excited and short lived intermediate states, i.e. real time observations of dynamics. The coherence properties of VUV-FELs enable totally new techniques to study complex samples.
Neutrons are a powerful, non-destructive probe for the investigation of structure and dynamics in matter in a broad space and time domain. They provide indispensable tools for the investigation of magnetism, for micro-structural studies in materials relevant to engineering and materials science as well as for soft- and bio-matter. Earth and environmental science and cultural heritage are increasingly relying on research with neutrons. Neutron sources are also used for neutron activation analysis, in particular for environmental studies, for radiography and tomography as well as for the production of isotopes and doping of semiconductors. Major progress in neutron optics, detectors, sample environment and methods have revolutionized neutron scattering. The next generation MW spallation sources provide a peak flux exceeding the flux of research reactors by at least two orders of magnitude. These gains make neutrons a tool for space and time resolved studies of micro- and nano-structured materials, in vivo studies of bio-molecular complexes and multi-component soft matter systems, in situ studies of catalysts, studies of quantum phase transitions under extreme conditions or of spin fluctuations in highly correlated electron systems.
The seminar primarily addresses researchers on the PhD student and post-doc level as well as those younger staff scientists and experienced researchers familiar with either photons or neutrons and interested in possible benefits of using also the other probe to solve their scientific questions.
Photons probe in a unique way the geometric and electronic structure of matter. Synchrotron radiation sources provide well collimated high intensity photon beams from the Terahertz to the hard X-ray regime. Tuning the wavelength to absorption edges allows for element specific structural and electronic studies in materials science including magnetic properties, as well as for solving the phase problem in protein crystallography. Beams with selectable circular polarization revolutionised the investigation of magnetic properties. Depending on the wavelength, the experiments can be made surface, interface or bulk sensitive and can probe samples under special environments. The coherent fraction of the X-ray beams allows for high resolution holography and micro-tomography of the target, whereas dynamics can be studied by intensity correlation spectroscopy. The very high intensity in focal spots down to the nm range enables the investigation of extremely small sample volumes and of matter under extreme conditions. Compared to the best synchrotron radiation sources, X-ray free-electron lasers (FEL) provide a gain of 4 and 9 orders of magnitude in average and peak brilliance, respectively. Beams are coherent and a pulse length of the order of 50-100 fs allows for the investigation of excited and short lived intermediate states, i.e. real time observations of dynamics. The coherence properties of VUV-FELs enable totally new techniques to study complex samples.
Neutrons are a powerful, non-destructive probe for the investigation of structure and dynamics in matter in a broad space and time domain. They provide indispensable tools for the investigation of magnetism, for micro-structural studies in materials relevant to engineering and materials science as well as for soft- and bio-matter. Earth and environmental science and cultural heritage are increasingly relying on research with neutrons. Neutron sources are also used for neutron activation analysis, in particular for environmental studies, for radiography and tomography as well as for the production of isotopes and doping of semiconductors. Major progress in neutron optics, detectors, sample environment and methods have revolutionized neutron scattering. The next generation MW spallation sources provide a peak flux exceeding the flux of research reactors by at least two orders of magnitude. These gains make neutrons a tool for space and time resolved studies of micro- and nano-structured materials, in vivo studies of bio-molecular complexes and multi-component soft matter systems, in situ studies of catalysts, studies of quantum phase transitions under extreme conditions or of spin fluctuations in highly correlated electron systems.
The seminar primarily addresses researchers on the PhD student and post-doc level as well as those younger staff scientists and experienced researchers familiar with either photons or neutrons and interested in possible benefits of using also the other probe to solve their scientific questions.
