The instruments best suited to performing high-energy-resolution neutron spectroscopy are spin-echo spectrometers and backscattering spectrometers. The development of these experimental techniques dates back almost half a century, and most major neutron scattering facilities operate mature spectrometers of one or both classes. Recent advances in instrumentation and neutron sources are enhancing their performance and expanding their capabilities, with the objective of enabling researchers to tackle new and more complex problems. In this Technical Review, we assess the current state of the art in high-energy-resolution neutron spectrometers, showcasing their role in the study of nanoscale dynamics in soft and biological materials, as well as disordered magnets.

最适合执行高能分辨率中子光谱分析的仪器是自旋回波光谱仪和反向散射光谱仪。这些实验技术的发展可以追溯到半个世纪之前，大多数主要的中子散射设施都使用一类或两类的成熟光谱仪。仪器和中子源的最新进展正在提高其性能并扩展其能力，以使研究人员能够解决新的和更复杂的问题。在本技术评论中，我们评估了高能分辨率中子能谱仪的最新技术，展示了它们在研究软，生物材料以及无序磁体的纳米尺度动力学中的作用。