X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy as a new tool to investigate the dynamics of soft condensed matter

Condensed Matter lunchtime seminar

X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy as a new tool to investigate the dynamics of soft condensed matter

  • Event time: 12:30pm
  • Event date: 7th December 2005
  • Speaker: Aymeric Robert (University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Complex relaxations in disordered systems have been studied successfully by scattering of both visible light and neutrons. Neutron based techniques can probe the dynamic properties of matter at high frequencies from f typically equal to 10^14 Hz down to about 10^7 Hz and achieve atomic resolution. Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) with visible light can cover the low frequency dynamics (f < 10^6 Hz) but probes only the long wavelength regions (Q < 4.10^-2 nm^-1) in materials not absorbing visible light. Coherent hard X-ray beams from third generation synchrotron sources open up the possibility for Correlation Spectroscopy experiment with X-ray (XPCS) capable of studying slow dynamics (10^6 Hz to 10^-3 Hz) on submicron lengthscales in dilute and concentrated (optically opaque) systems, and is not subject to multiple scattering [1,2]. This technique can be used in two different geometries namely in the Small Angle or in Reflectivity, depending if one is interested to probe bulk or surface dynamics respectively. We will review the status of this technique [1,2] by discussing its applications for the study of the complex dynamic behavior of soft condensed systems [1,2] and will focus especially on recent examples, among which the study of the hydrodynamics of charge-stabilized magnetic colloidal dispersions [2,3], but as well the investigation of aging of the alpha relaxation in a glassy ferrofluid [4].

[1] G. Grübel et al, J. Alloys. Compd. 362, 3 (2004)
[2] A. Robert et al., J. Magn. Magn. Mat 289 , 47 (2005)
[3] A. Robert et al., J. Chem. Phys. 122 , 084701 (2005)
[4] Submitted

About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars

This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..

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