中国物理B ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (3): 36106-036106.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/adf61c

• • 上一篇    下一篇

Theoretical synthesis of small-angle neutron scattering spectra with a smearing effect from monodisperse and polydisperse hard spherical colloids

Shuoyang Xiao(肖硕洋)1, Songlin Wang(王松林)2,3, Bin Wu(吴彬)1,†, and Takuya Iwashita4,‡   

  1. 1 School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;
    2 Dongguan Neutron Science Center, Dongguan 523800, China;
    3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    4 Department of Science and Technology, Oita University, Oita 870-1192, Japan
  • 收稿日期:2025-06-04 修回日期:2025-07-28 接受日期:2025-07-31 出版日期:2026-02-11 发布日期:2026-03-10
  • 通讯作者: Bin Wu, Takuya Iwashita E-mail:bwu6@bnu.edu.cn;tiwashita@oita-u.ac.jp
  • 基金资助:
    Bin Wu would like to acknowledge the funding supports by the Large Scientific Facility Open Subject of Songshan Lake, Dongguan, Guangdong (Grant No. KFKT2022B12) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12375294). Takuya Iwashita is supported by Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B), “Rheology of Disordered Structures: Establishing Anankeon Dynamics”, JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Nos. 22B206 and 22H05040), and by Oita University President’s Strategic Discretionary Fund.

Theoretical synthesis of small-angle neutron scattering spectra with a smearing effect from monodisperse and polydisperse hard spherical colloids

Shuoyang Xiao(肖硕洋)1, Songlin Wang(王松林)2,3, Bin Wu(吴彬)1,†, and Takuya Iwashita4,‡   

  1. 1 School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;
    2 Dongguan Neutron Science Center, Dongguan 523800, China;
    3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    4 Department of Science and Technology, Oita University, Oita 870-1192, Japan
  • Received:2025-06-04 Revised:2025-07-28 Accepted:2025-07-31 Online:2026-02-11 Published:2026-03-10
  • Contact: Bin Wu, Takuya Iwashita E-mail:bwu6@bnu.edu.cn;tiwashita@oita-u.ac.jp
  • Supported by:
    Bin Wu would like to acknowledge the funding supports by the Large Scientific Facility Open Subject of Songshan Lake, Dongguan, Guangdong (Grant No. KFKT2022B12) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12375294). Takuya Iwashita is supported by Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B), “Rheology of Disordered Structures: Establishing Anankeon Dynamics”, JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Nos. 22B206 and 22H05040), and by Oita University President’s Strategic Discretionary Fund.

摘要: Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique for microstructural characterization with several advantages, such as unique isotopic sensitivity, deep penetration capability, in situ characterization potential, and minimal radiation damage to samples. However, the intrinsically low neutron flux unavoidably necessitates certain compromises during measurements. These include a finite spread in wavelength, beam divergence, and the large footprint of the incident neutron beam, all of which lead to the so-called smearing effect. Consequently, the measured SANS spectra not only encode the microstructural information of the samples but are also influenced by the experimental conditions, thereby complicating the interpretation of the data. To facilitate the development of a machine learning-based approach for de-smearing measured SANS spectra, this study aims to establish a theoretical framework for synthesizing spectra both with and without the smearing effect. We focus on hard-sphere colloidal systems and consider system parameters such as the colloidal particle size, polydispersity, and volume fraction, and measurement conditions such as the neutron wavelength and its spread and beam divergence. The exemplary spectra presented herein also highlight the impact of the smearing effect under typical experimental conditions.

关键词: small-angle neutron scattering, smearing effect, hard-sphere colloidal systems, spectral analysis

Abstract: Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique for microstructural characterization with several advantages, such as unique isotopic sensitivity, deep penetration capability, in situ characterization potential, and minimal radiation damage to samples. However, the intrinsically low neutron flux unavoidably necessitates certain compromises during measurements. These include a finite spread in wavelength, beam divergence, and the large footprint of the incident neutron beam, all of which lead to the so-called smearing effect. Consequently, the measured SANS spectra not only encode the microstructural information of the samples but are also influenced by the experimental conditions, thereby complicating the interpretation of the data. To facilitate the development of a machine learning-based approach for de-smearing measured SANS spectra, this study aims to establish a theoretical framework for synthesizing spectra both with and without the smearing effect. We focus on hard-sphere colloidal systems and consider system parameters such as the colloidal particle size, polydispersity, and volume fraction, and measurement conditions such as the neutron wavelength and its spread and beam divergence. The exemplary spectra presented herein also highlight the impact of the smearing effect under typical experimental conditions.

Key words: small-angle neutron scattering, smearing effect, hard-sphere colloidal systems, spectral analysis

中图分类号:  (Neutron scattering (including small-angle scattering))

  • 61.05.fg
61.20.Gy (Theory and models of liquid structure)