Thermal neutron scattering is an important technique which is finding a multitude of applications in solid-state physics, chemistry, biology and technology. Pulsed neutron sources offer up new areas of investigation, since they give neutron energies over a broad range not confined to the Maxwellian distribution of reactor thermal neutrons. However the techniques used with pulsed neutrons are very different from those of reactor neutron scattering. The pulsed sourse demands the use of time-of-flight techniques and new methods of analysis.
This is the first book on pulsed neutron scattering and is intended as handbook for those wanting to use this new technique. It attempts to provide all a research student needs to know in the way of background knowledge on how the sources work, and gives full details of all the main pulsed experimental techniques and the analysis of results. It also contains a detailed comparison with reactor performance. The book was translated into Russian.
A review "Scattering Wisdom" was written by Roger Pynn in Nature 296 687-688 15/04/1982
"This pack contains a remarkable set of programs considering the limitations of 1K memory in the unexpanded Sinclair ZX81. The four models are: (1) gas-liquid transitions with variable numbers of particles, (ii) two-dimensional Ising model; (iii) variable range linear Ising model; and (iv) percolation theory.
I found the first program most interesting: phenomena that could be explored included quenching to a glass, annealing, melting and supercooling. The fourth program was fascinating, but less obviously useful. The other two programs would need more time than I was able to devote, to delve into their theory. The documentation is first class, consisting of a 58-page booklet that covers the topic thoroughly from a review of modelling techniques and the Monte Carlo method, to detail of the Z80 machine code programming used. A Sinclair Spectrum version is available at the same price." Review by John Freeman in Physics World.
Solid State Science, Past, Present and Predicted, Edited by Weaire and Windsor, Adam Hilger, 1987
This book traces the history, present achievements and future potential of the science of the solid state. The contributors come from various areas within the subject and have been chosen to provide a balanced overview, accessible in part or in whole to a wide readership. The Editors see a need to affirm the identity, unity and importance of solid state science, a subject which within the last twenty years has replaced nuclear physics and radiocommunication as the branch of physical science most affecting our daily lives. Whilst it has become a cliche to speak of the "Age of Silicon", how many people understand how our present devices came to be invented and in what directions they ore evolving at the present time? The topics covered range from the prehistory of solid state physics, diffraction and electrons at the Fermi surface to superconductivity, solid state optics and microelectronics. This book will give undergraduates, postgraduates and lecturers in solid state science an insight into the background of their subject and will also be of interest to professional physicists, engineers, scientists in related fields and science policy makers.
The book was reviewed by Volker Heine, and by W J Firth
Copyright 2004 Colin Windsor : Last updated 5/10/2004