Soft Matter Group

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The Soft Matter group is a group within the Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Division Research with Neutrons and Muons (NUM).

We run the dedicated user instruments at the spallation neutron source SINQ:

SANS Ismall angle scattering6.10-4 Å-1 < q < 1.05 Å-1, polarisation
SANS LLBsmall angle scatteringjointly operated by PSI and LLB
AMORvertical TOF reflectometerpolarisation option
FOCUStime-of-flight spectrometercold neutrons
ECHOUSANS, double crystal diffractometeroption on Morpheus

We are doing research in various fields connected to hard and soft condensed matter physics. We focus on structure and dynamics in materials with relevant length scales in the nm-range. Here are some examples:

  • Nanomagnetic Structures
  • Nano-Capsule Dispersions as Drug Carrier
  • Polymer surface submicro-dots and colloidal covering
  • Adsorption of Biomolecules at Interfaces
  • Multilayers
  • Magnetic induction at interfaces
  • Improvement of Fe/Si based neutron polarisers
  • Concepts to tailor the interface quality in neutron optical devices
  • Structure of Proteins in Solution
  • Domain Structure in Polymer Membranes for Fuel Cells
  • Microgels
  • Melting of crystals in 2D
  • Nucleation and growth of colloidal crystals