Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS)
Small angle neutron Scattering (SANS) is an experimental technique which allows us to determine the size and shape of substances at a scale of 1-100nm. The experimental set-up set-up consists of a well characterized neutron beam, the sample in question and a detector divided in 30 concentric circles. Once the neutrons are directed onto the sample they are scattered elastically by the particles of the specimen and end up at one of the rings of the detector. For isotropically scattering samples, the number of scattered neutrons that reach the detector at every ring are counted and then extracted through a computer in sets of q , which is the scattering vector, versus I(q), number of counts per q or intensity, for the user to use. In order to obtain better and more reliable results we study the high and low q area separately. The sample can be in the form of a solution, a solid, powder or even crystal.
