Diffraction, Neutron

Name:
Diffraction, Neutron
Detailed information:
An analytical technique analogous to X-ray diffraction, in which an incident beam of neutrons is scattered by the atoms of a crystal. Because elements that are close to each other in the periodic table differ considerably in their neutron-scattering ability, neutron diffraction is capable of distinguishing between them. For example, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms can be readily identified by neutron diffraction whereas they appear almost identical by the X-ray method. More accurate determination of the bond lengths of light atoms and distribution of molecular bonding electrons is also possible. Details of molecular structure that can only be inferred by other techniques can often be observed directly by neutron diffraction. Investigations using this method include hydrogen bonding, so-called metal cluster compounds (C—H—M relationships), and electronic charge distributions.