Skip to main content
SHARE
Publication

High-resolution neutron spectroscopy using backscattering and neutron spin-echo spectrometers in soft and hard condensed matter

by Jason S. Gardner, Georg Ehlers, Antonio Faraone, Victoria Garcia-sakai
Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Nature Reviews Physics
Publication Date
Page Numbers
103 to 116
Volume
2
Issue
1

The instruments best suited to performing high-energy-resolution neutron spectroscopy are spin-echo spectrometers and backscattering spectrometers. The development of these experimental techniques dates back almost half a century, and most major neutron scattering facilities operate mature spectrometers of one or both classes. Recent advances in instrumentation and neutron sources are enhancing their performance and expanding their capabilities, with the objective of enabling researchers to tackle new and more complex problems. In this Technical Review, we assess the current state of the art in high-energy-resolution neutron spectrometers, showcasing their role in the study of nanoscale dynamics in soft and biological materials, as well as disordered magnets.