Vibrational Dynamics Studies by Nuclear Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering

• Published in: Hyperfine interactions Vol. 144-145; no. 1-4; pp. 3 - 20
• Main Authors: Alp, E E, Sturhahn, W, Toellner, T S, Zhao, J, Hu M, Brown, D E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01.01.2002
• Subjects: Biophysics; Diamonds; Dysprosium isotopes; Energy resolution; Geophysics; Inelastic scattering; Iron 57; Materials science; Microfocusing; Monochromators; Myoglobins; Synchrotron radiation; Synchrotrons; X ray sources; X-ray scattering
• ISSN: 0304-3843; 1572-9540
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1025452401501

Nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering of synchrotron radiation is being applied to ever widening areas ranging from geophysics to biophysics and materials science. Since its first demonstration in 1995 using the 57Fe resonance, the technique has now been applied to materials containing 83Kr, 151Eu, 119Sn, and 161Dy isotopes. The energy resolution has been reduced to under a millielectronvolt. This, in turn, has enabled new types of measurements like Debye velocity of sound, as well as the study of origins of non-Debye behavior in presence of other low-energy excitations. The effect of atomic disorder on phonon density of states has been studied in detail. The flux increase due to the improved X-ray sources, crystal monochromators, and time-resolved detectors has been exploited for reducing sample sizes to nano-gram levels, or using samples with dilute resonant nuclei like myoglobin, or even monolayers. Incorporation of micro-focusing optics to the existing experimental setup enables experiments under high pressure using diamond-anvil cells. In this article, we will review these developments.