Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is an experimental technique that uses elastic neutron scattering at small scattering angles to investigate the structure of various substances at a mesoscopic scale of about 1–100 nm.

What is small angle scattering used for?

Small-angle scattering from particles can be used to determine the particle shape or their size distribution. A small-angle scattering pattern can be fitted with intensities calculated from different model shapes when the size distribution is known.

What does neutron scattering measure?

Neutron scattering experiments measure the flux Φs of neutrons scattered by a sample into a detector as a function of the change in neutron wave vector (Q) and energy (hω). The expressions for the scattered neutron flux Φs involve the positions and motions of atomic nuclei or unpaired electron spins.