By S Mobilio, F Boscherini and C Meneghini (eds)
Springer
Observed for the first time in 1947 – and long considered as a problem for particle physics as it can cause particle beams to lose energy – synchrotron radiation is today a fundamental tool for characterising nanostructures and advanced materials. Thanks to its characteristics in terms of brilliance, spectral range, time structure and coherence, it is extensively applied in many scientific fields, spanning material science, chemistry, nanotechnology, earth and environmental sciences, biology, medical applications, and even archaeology and cultural heritage.
The book reports the lecture notes of lessons held at the 12th edition of the School on Synchrotron Radiation, held in Trieste, Italy, in 2013 and organised by the Italian Synchrotron Radiation Society in collaboration with Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste. The book is organised in four parts. The first describes the emission of synchrotron and free-electron laser sources, as well as the basic aspects of beamline instrumentation. In the second part, the fundamental interactions between electromagnetic radiation and matter are illustrated. The third part discusses the most important experimental methods, including different types of spectroscopy, diffraction and scattering, microscopy and imaging techniques. An overview of the numerous applications of these techniques to various research fields is then given in the fourth section. In this, a chapter is also dedicated to the new generation of synchrotron radiation sources, based on free-electron lasers, which are opening the way to new applications and more precise measurements.
This comprehensive book is aimed at both PhD students and more experienced researchers, since it not only provides an introduction to the field but also discusses relevant topics of interest in depth.
