Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 1: Tutorial: Physics with neutrons - from proteins via polymer thin films to spin waves

CPP 1.2: Tutorium

Sunday, March 13, 2011, 16:45–17:30, HSZ 403

Reflectivity and GISAS — •Roland Steitz — Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Berlin, Germany

Current problems in soft and hard matter science often require insight on the nanometer scale. In this contribution we show how surface sensitive scattering of neutrons, namely neutron reflectivity (NR) and grazing incidence small angle neutron scattering (GISANS) can be utilized to reveal details on thin films and stratified systems at solid-gas and solid-liquid interfaces. The first chapter provides a brief revision of the experimental techniques and underlying principles. Successive paragraphs deal with selected examples highlighting various aspects of experimental systems under study. Paragraph two examines polymer films at solid-gas interfaces, paragraph three addresses immobilisation of a protein at solid-liquid interfaces, paragraph four investigates the structure of the boundary of a hydrophobic polymer film and its adjacent water phase. The last two paragraphs concern laterally structured systems at interfaces and magnetic thin films, respectively.

It is noted that in particular neutrons penetrate deeply into matter, which makes them most suitable for studies of buried interfaces. In addition, investigations with neutrons benefit from the negligible impact of neutrons on the sample, i.e. there is no radiation damage, and as long as soft matter samples are considered neutrons can be used to highlight defined areas of interest by partial deuteration of the sample.