Quasielastic scattering

In physics, quasielastic scattering designates a limiting case of inelastic scattering, characterized by energy transfers being small compared to the incident energy of the scattered particles.

The term was originally coined in nuclear physics.[1]

It was applied to thermal neutron scattering by Leon van Hove[2] and Pierre Gilles de Gennes[3] (quasielastic neutron scattering, QENS).

Finally, it is sometimes used for Dynamic light scattering (also known by the more expressive term photon correlation spectroscopy).

References

  1. ^ Earliest use, as far as can be infered from Google scholar: O. Chamberlain, E. Segrè, R. Tripp, C. Wiegand, and T. Ypsilantis: Experiments with High-Energy Polarized Protons, Phys. Rev. 93, 1430 (1954).
  2. ^ L. Van Hove and K. W. McVoy, Pair distribution functions and scattering phenomena, Nucl. Phys. 33, 468-476 (1962).
  3. ^ P.G. de Gennes, Collective motions of hydrogen bonds, Solid State Comm. 1, 132-137 (1963).