Nuclear Condensed Matter Physics with Synchrotron Radiation: Basic Principles, Methodology and Applications

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the growing field of nuclear condensed matter physics with synchrotron radiation, a technique which finds numerous applications in fields such as magnetism, physics of surfaces and interfaces, lattice dynamics and more. Due to the enormous brilliance of modern synchrotron radiation sources, the method is particularly suited for the investigation of low-dimensional structures such as thin films and nanoparticles. The use of isotopic probe layers, for example, allows one to determine magnetic and vibrational properties with very high spatial resolution; focusing techniques and x-ray interference effects lead to a very high sensitivity for smallest amounts of material. The book is written on an introductory level with many examples employed to illustrate the special experimental possibilities.