Molecular spectroscopy is a very powerful tool to study the dynamical properties of solid, liquid and gases. Inelastic Neutron scattering is not a surface technique per se, however, given the relative high cross-section of hydrogen with respect to other elements, it is possible to study surfaces and catalysis. With the development of neutron spallation sources and the use of epithermal neutrons, inelastic neutron scattering can measure the vibrational spectra of materials on the whole range of vibrational motions (0-4400 cm−1) and effectively open up the field of neutron spectroscopy. The recently commissioned VISION spectrometer at the SNS in Oak Ridge Tennessee has an increased overall flux at low energy transfers up to 4000 times over its predecessors. The ease of interpretation due to the relatively straightforward connection between ab-initio modeling and experimental data adds to the power of the technique.<br/>This paper describes the experimental challenges that appear when studying surfaces and catalysis with INS. I will present experimental results with a critical view to the possibilities and limitations, as well as the basic theory and data analysis that is required to interpret the data.

Studying reaction on surfaces with inelastic neutron scattering

256th National Meeting (2018)

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