This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the total scattering method, an advanced analytical technique used to explore atomic-scale structures in crystalline and non-crystalline materials. Total scattering bridges the gap between traditional crystallography and amorphous material analysis, offering insights into both long-range order and local structural irregularities.

Participants will learn the fundamental principles of total scattering, including pair distribution function (PDF) analysis and diffuse scattering techniques. The course emphasizes practical applications in materials science, chemistry, and physics, highlighting how this method can be used to study defects, disordered systems, nanoparticles, and complex functional materials.

Key Topics Covered:

• Fundamentals of X-ray, neutron, and electron total scattering
• Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis: theory and application
• Understanding diffuse scattering in ordered and disordered systems
• Instrumentation and data acquisition techniques
• Advanced data analysis and modeling approaches
• Applications to emerging materials, including amorphous solids, nanomaterials, and hybrid systems

The course is ideal for graduate students, researchers, and professionals seeking to expand their expertise in structural analysis techniques beyond conventional crystallography.

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of crystallography, diffraction techniques, and materials science is recommended but not required.

References:

(1) Underneath the Bragg Peaks: Structural Analysis of Complex Materials (Volume 16) (Pergamon Materials Series, Volume 16, Band 16) by Egami and Billinge

(2) Elementary Scattering Theory: For X-ray and neutron users By D.S. SIVIA

Zusätzliche Informationen

This lecture course is aimed at physics and chemistry students in the Masters Course as well as those who are involved in an experimental Ph.D. thesis.