Michael Toney, University of Colorado at Boulder
"Data Challenges in Synchrotron X-ray Scattering"
Abstract:
Over the past few decades synchrotron X-ray sources and detectors have made enormous technological gains in terms of source brightness and the widespread use of area detectors. This has resulted in a qualitative change in X-ray scattering research, as exemplified by the broad use of one-dimensional pair distribution function (PDF) or total scattering measurements. However, these advances have resulted in an explosion in amount of data that are easily obtained for any given material. There are numerous examples of these, but this talk will focus on three dimension (3D) diffuse scattering on single crystals. While this method has been used over the last several decades, recently the advances noted above have made collection fast. Consequently, this is an “emerging” method of characterizing local or short range atomic order in materials, which is increasing realized as an essential structural aspect that can determine materials function. 3D diffuse scattering denotes the broad scattering of X-rays, neutrons, and electrons “in between” Bragg diffraction peaks and this diffuse scattering encodes local order. The challenge is in the interpretation of this large volume of data and this talk will outline the challenges associated with this interpretation.
About the Speaker:
​Michael Toney is a Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a pioneer in the use of X-ray scattering and spectroscopy for the determination of atomic structure in materials for sustainable energy applications, especially solar energy and energy storage. His present interests are in hybrid metal-halide perovskites solar absorbers, Li-rich cathodes, electrode-electrolyte interfaces in energy storage systems and clean water.