Neutron diffraction; A Primer

Dronskowski, R.*; Brckel, T.*; Kohlmann, H.*; Avdeev, M.*; Houben, A.*; Meven, M.*; Hofmann, M.*; Kamiyama, Takashi*; Zobel, M.*; Schweika, W.*; Hermann, R. P.*; Sano, Asami   

Because of the neutron's special properties, neutron diffraction may be considered one of the most powerful techniques for structure determination of crystalline and related matter. Neutrons can be released from nuclear fission, from spallation processes, and also from low-energy nuclear reactions, and they can then be used in powder, time-of-flight, texture, single crystal, and other techniques, all of which are perfectly suited to clarify crystal and magnetic structures. With high neutron flux and sufficient brilliance, neutron diffraction also excels for diffuse scattering, for in situ and operando studies as well as for high-pressure experiments of today's materials. In this primer, we summarize the current state of neutron diffraction (and how it came to be), but also look at recent advances and new ideas, e.g., the design of new instruments, and what follows from that.