Three-dimensional small-angle neutron scattering (3D-SANS) and its application

Three-dimensional small-angle neutron scattering (3D-SANS) analysis is derived. This analysis using neutrons, which can penetrate matter easily, is a powerful technique to investigate the anisotropic nanoscale structures in single crystal bulk materials, although it takes a long time to get a complete data set. This technique is applied to the analysis of the anisotropic neutron scattering from a superconductor CeRu₂. It suggests that planar defects correlate well with the lattice symmetry of the crystal and influence superconducting properties as pinning centers. It is also shown by simulation that the 3D-SANS analysis is useful even at intense short pulse spallation sources that give a wider band width of neutron wavelength, if the SANS profile is highly anisotropic.