Comparison of the Possibilities of Inelastic Scattering of Synchrotron Radiation and Neutrons for Studying Atomic, Molecular, and Magnetic Dynamics in Condensed Matter

A Vision for the Future of Neutron Scattering and Muon Spectroscopy in the 2050s

“…However, magnetic X-ray diffraction at synchrotrons 15 has evolved very rapidly and for thin film or very small samples is the technique of choice and is likely to be an area where X-rays will eventually supersede the use of neutrons. Resonant inelastic Xray scattering (RIXS), 16 is becoming competitive with inelastic neutron scattering to study magnetic excitations, 17 but cannot match the resolution in the ∼0−0.1 eV range where neutrons excel. It also complements some muon measurements today and might replace some use of muons in future but is unlikely to match muons' particular sensitivity to smaller magnetic moments Thus neutrons and muons are still likely to be used, and needed, to study magnetism in the 2050s.…”