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  • Technical Review
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Optimizing the dynamic pair distribution function method for inelastic neutron spectrometry

Nature Reviews Physics volume 5, pages 236–249 (2023)Cite this article

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An Author Correction to this article was published on 10 August 2023

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Abstract

The dynamic pair distribution function (DyPDF) is an inelastic neutron scattering method that provides detailed information about the local dynamics of a crystalline material in real space. DyPDF has been applied to many systems, including ferroelectrics, superconductors and charge-density-wave materials, but a more complete adoption has been limited by lack of proper data treatment, understanding of the effects of different spectrometers and a robust method of data analysis. In this Technical Review, we provide suggestions on optimizing the use of DyPDF based on case studies of polycrystalline nickel on several inelastic neutron scattering instruments. A robust data treatment regimen is outlined to enable quantitative comparison of data across spectrometers, and an explanation and comparison of the instrumental effects are presented. We aim to show that, by a careful choice of instrument and experimental conditions, DyPDF can serve as a routine real-space complement to traditional local vibrational probes such as infrared and Raman spectroscopy.

Key points

  • The dynamic pair distribution function is a robust inelastic neutron scattering method that allows for the real-space correlation of atomic displacements.

  • The energy resolution in DyPDF depends on instrument configuration and incident energy. Such resolution information should be considered when choosing the instrument and incident energy for an experiment.

  • Background treatment, including a removal of an approximation to the single-phonon background contribution, is of the utmost importance in obtaining high-quality DyPDF data that is comparable between instruments within the energy resolution of the configuration.

  • When proper data treatment is performed, the data are quantitatively comparable across inelastic instruments within the Goldilocks principle of DyPDF.

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Fig. 1: Explanation of pair distribution function and dynamic pair distribution function.
Fig. 2: Energy resolution and S(Q,E) of Ni on different inelastic neutron spectrometers.
Fig. 3: Comparison of nickel DyPDF spectra across instruments.
Fig. 4: Data treatment methods.

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Acknowledgements

A portion of this research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source was sponsored by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The authors specifically acknowledge the help and guidance provided by D. Abernathy about the nature of the ARCS instrument and the DyPDF method. The authors also acknowledge the support and council of T. McQueen in the development of background treatments for DyPDF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA

    Kody A. Acosta & Allyson M. Fry-Petit

  2. ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford, UK

    Helen C. Walker

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All authors contributed equally to the preparation of this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Allyson M. Fry-Petit.

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Nature Reviews Physics thanks Ryoichi Kajimoto, Alice Smith and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Acosta, K.A., Walker, H.C. & Fry-Petit, A.M. Optimizing the dynamic pair distribution function method for inelastic neutron spectrometry. Nat Rev Phys 5, 236–249 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00564-5

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