Soft Matter in Motion: A Small-Angle Scattering Perspective

by Dr Thomas Zinn (Scientist at Diamond Light Source, UK)

Monday 16 Jun 2025, 14:30 → 15:30 Europe/Berlin

PH HS 3 (Physics Department)

Small-angle scattering (SAS) techniques — including small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) — have become indispensable tools for revealing the hidden nanoscale architecture of soft matter. With recent advances in detection technology, SAS now offers unprecedented insight into the size, shape, and internal organization of materials and biophysical systems, spanning length scales from a few nanometers to the sub-micrometer range. Even more compelling, these methods now allow sub-millisecond, in situ investigations of how materials dynamically respond to changing environmental conditions.

This talk will introduce the core principles of SAS and presents illustrative examples that highlight its transformative role — particularly at cutting-edge 4th-generation synchrotron sources. A special focus will be placed on studying the dynamic, out-of-equilibrium behavior of “active” matter systems through ultra small-angle X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. This is a glimpse into matter in motion, made visible through the precision and power of modern small-angle scattering techniques.