Point-Defect Diffusion from Coherent Quasielastic Neutron Scattering

Abstract

We outline a theory which suggests that the dynamics of point defects in crystals can be studied by coherent quasielastic neutron scattering. The theory assumes that the surrounding lattice distortion follows each defect instantaneously, and that the distortion fields of different defects can be linearly superposed. The energy width of the scattered intensity yields the hopping rate and jump vectors of the defects. We discuss systems for which the predicted effects for ionic defects are observable, pointing out that the detection of small-polaron hopping should also be possible.