International Workshop on Cold Neutron Time-of-Flight (TOF) Spectroscopy, Washington, DC, July 14-17, 2003

该项目是一个关于冷中子飞行时间（TOF）光谱学的科学机会的国际研讨会，于2003年7月14日至17日在华盛顿特区举行。冷中子光谱学是用于探索在原子振动或更长时间尺度上发生的现象的最佳方法，是凝聚态物质，聚合物，量子液体和其他领域的典型集体现象。研讨会将研究新的科学机会以及提高仪器性能的技术。研讨会的一个重要方面是向这个领域介绍年轻的科学家——研究生、博士后和初级教员。研讨会将努力确定实现新的科学机遇所需的新型仪器，并将探索将冷中子光谱学应用于传统上未被使用的领域的机会；例如，环境化学、地质学、生物学和工程学。低能中子（称为“冷”中子）是探测物质性质的非常有用的探测器。这种中子束在从原子尺度到微米尺度的空间和时间尺度上对物质的结构和动力学特性特别敏感。这些鳞片是聚合物、金属和合金中的颗粒以及活细胞等的特征。中子也提供了在类似尺度上独特的磁性探测。“冷中子飞行时间光谱学”涉及研究与物质样品相互作用产生的中子束中的微小能量变化。这样的研究可以在中子束探测的尺度上确定许多物理性质。虽然美国研究人员几十年来一直在使用这种中子散射研究，但此类研究所需的大多数设施都是在其他国家建造的。随着散裂中子源（SNS）在橡树岭国家实验室即将完工，这种情况开始发生变化。为了准备2006年SNS研究的开始，现在有必要开始教育新一代科学家使用这些技术，并帮助那些传统上没有使用这些方法的学科的科学家学习如何将这些方法有价值地应用于新领域。也有必要探索能够进行此类研究的新型仪器。这个项目是一个国际讲习班，专门旨在帮助解决这些需要。

This project is an international workshop on scientific opportunities with cold neutron time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy, being held on 14 - 17 July 2003 in the Washington, DC area. Cold neutron spectroscopy is the best method to use for exploring phenomena that occur on timescales of atomic vibrations or longer, typical of collective phenomena in condensed matter, polymers, quantum liquids, and other areas. The workshop will examine novel scientific opportunities as well as techniques to enhance the performance of instrumentation. An important aspect of the workshop will be to introduce younger scientists - graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty - to this field. The workshop will endeavor to identify new types of instrumentation needed to realize the new scientific opportunities, and it will explore opportunities to apply cold neutron spectroscopy to fields in which it has not traditionally been used; for example, environmental chemistry, geology, biology, and engineering.Neutrons with low energies (called "cold" neutrons) are very useful probes of the properties of matter. Beams of such neutrons are especially responsive to structural and dynamical properties of matter on spatial and temporal scales ranging from atomic dimensions to micro-meters. These are scales characteristic of, for example, polymers, grains in metals and alloys, and living cells. Neutrons also provide unique probes of magnetic properties on similar scales. "Cold neutron time-of-flight spectroscopy" involves the study of minute energy changes in a beam of neutrons produced by interaction with a sample of matter. Such investigations enable the determination of many physical properties on the scales probed by the neutron beam. While U.S. investigators have been using such neutron-scattering studies for decades, most of the facilities needed for such investigations have been constructed in other nations. This is now beginning to change as the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) approaches completion at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. To prepare for the beginning of SNS studies in 2006, it is necessary to begin now to educate a new generation of scientists in the use of these techniques and to help scientists from disciplines that have not traditionally used such methods to learn how they may be valuably applied in new areas. It is also necessary to explore new types of instrumentation that can enable such investigations. This project is an international workshop specifically intended to help address these needs.