neutronikristallograafia

Neutronikristallograafia is a scientific technique used to determine the atomic and magnetic structure of crystalline materials. It employs neutrons as a probe, scattering them off the atoms within a sample. When neutrons interact with the atomic nuclei of a crystal, they are diffracted. This diffraction pattern is unique to the arrangement of atoms in the crystal lattice. By analyzing the angles and intensities of the scattered neutrons, scientists can reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the crystal structure.

Unlike X-rays, which primarily interact with the electron clouds of atoms, neutrons interact with atomic nuclei. This difference in interaction makes neutron diffraction particularly sensitive to light elements, such as hydrogen, which are difficult to see with X-rays. Furthermore, neutrons possess a magnetic moment, allowing neutron crystallography to probe the magnetic structure of materials. This is crucial for understanding magnetism in solids, including superconductors and magnetic alloys.

The technique typically requires a neutron source, such as a nuclear reactor or a spallation source, to produce a beam of neutrons. This beam is then directed at a crystalline sample. Detectors are used to measure the scattered neutrons, and sophisticated computational methods are employed to interpret the resulting diffraction data. Neutronikristallograafia is a powerful tool in materials science, solid-state physics, chemistry, and biology, offering complementary information to other crystallographic techniques.