Finite size effects on the lattice dynamics - the study of gold nano-particles

The opportunity of analysing finite size and other topological effects on the lattice dynamics remains unattainable with conventional techniques based on neutron or x-ray inelastic scattering. It is only the combination of inelastic, deep inelastic neutron scattering together with neutron diffraction which opens the way here. The VESUVIO experiment, proposed here, is a part of of a global study, using VESUVIO, TOSCA spectrometers and GEM difractometer (in the total neutron diffraction mode) with the aim to perform a critical appraisal of the structure-dynamics relations of gold nano-particles. The topology-induced Doppler broadening of gold recoil and neutron absorption peaks will be measured concurrently using neutron Compton scattering and resonant neutron absorption. The results will be benchmarked against ab initio density functional theory simulations.