Resolution in Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering using Pulsed Neutron Sources

Abstract

In recoil scattering with neutrons the impulse limit [1,2] is only reached by utilising large incident neutron energies generally in excess of 1eV, which are now readily available on spallation neutron sources. Since the property of direct interest is the atomic momentum distribution, n(p), (where p represents the atomic momentum), it is important to present and compare the recoil scattering data in terms of this quantity and not in terms of the measured scattering function S(q,ω) [3]. This transformation is relatively easy to undertake and, moreover, offers several distinct advantages over a comparison in time-of-flight or energy transfer.