Measurement of momentum distribution of light atoms and molecules in condensed matter systems using inelastic neutron scattering

Studies of single-particle momentum distributions in light atoms and molecules are reviewed with specific emphasis on experimental measurements using the deep inelastic neutron scattering technique at eV energies. The technique has undergone a remarkable development since the mid-1980s, when intense fluxes of epithermal neutrons were made available from pulsed neutron sources. These types of measurements provide a probe of the short-time dynamics of the recoiling atoms or molecules as well as information on the local structure of the materials. The paper introduces both the theoretical framework for the interpretation of deep inelastic neutron scattering experiments and thoroughly illustrates the physical principles underlying the impulse approximation from light atoms and molecules. The most relevant experimental studies performed on a variety of condensed matter systems in the last 20 years are reviewed. The experimental technique is critically presented in the context of a full list of published work. It is shown how, in some cases, these measurements can be used to extract directly the effective Born - Oppenheimer potential. A summary of the progress made to date in instrument development is also provided. Current data analysis and the interpretation of the results for a variety of physical systems is chosen to illustrate the scope and power of the method. The review ends with a brief consideration of likely developments in the foreseeable future. Particular discussion is given to the use of the VESUVIO spectrometer at ISIS