Powered by Indico
v3.2.3
Neutron scattering is routinely used in modern science to understand material properties on the atomic scale. Originally developed as a tool for physics, the method has led to advances in many areas of science, from clean energy and the environment, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, through to nanotechnology, fundamental physics and IT.
Magnetism has been at the centre of neutron studies since the beginning. Neutron diffraction provides information about the spatial arrangements within a sample, whether atomic or spin configurations. Inelastic neutron scattering (or neutron spectroscopy) tells us how these entities move with respect to themselves or each other. In magnetism neutron spectroscopy has always played a unique role in this research since it provides a straightforward measurement of the magnetic excitations in the form of the space and time dependent dynamical susceptibility.
Using facilities with beams of photons, muons and or neutrons has allowed researchers to probe modern materials for over 50 years, including frustrated magnetism[1]. Using examples from my research in Spin Ice materials[2-5], I will demonstrate how these quantum, microscopic probes are essential for our understanding of modern materials especially our hunt for, and characterisation of, quantum spin liquids and materials for quantum computing.
If time allows, I will provide a synopsis of quasielastic neutron spectroscopy, where the slowest dynamics visible by neutron scattering are measured. This technique complements muon and X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy and all three techniques are being developed at the appropriate facilities in China.
[1] J S Gardner, M J P Gingras and J E Greedan, Rev. Mod. Phys, 82 53 (2010).
[2] S T Bramwell, M J Harris, J S G, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 047205 (2001).
[3] G Ehlers, A L Cornelius, J S G, et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 15, L9, (2003).
[4] G Ehlers, E Mamontov, J S G, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 016405 (2009).
[5] P M Sarte, A A Aczel, J S G, et al., J. Phys.: Cond. Matter 29, 45LT01 (2017)
[6] Jason S Gardner et al., Nature Reviews Physics (accepted 2020)
Jason S Gardner is a condensed matter physicist with a specific interest in quantum beam experiments. For 20 years he has worked for several international user facilities, and visited many more. Dr Gardner is a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics (UK), was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (2012-2019) and before coming to Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory a Group Leader at the Australian Center for Neutron Scattering. He has published over 170 journal articles and given more than 100 oral presentations. He is a strong supporter for international collaborations and has brought many together at international conferences and scientific schools, national and international workshops that he has organized.