FUNDAMENTALS OF INELASTICALLY SCATTERED X-RAY SYNCHROTRON RADIATION AS A PROBE FOR THE ELECTRONIC-STRUCTURE OF CONDENSED MATTER

Several interactions of X-ray photons with the electrons of condensed matter are included under the general term ''inelastic scattering''. Each of these interactions can be established as the basis for the study of some electronic properties. X-ray Compton scattering is the only spectroscopical method in which the momentum and not the energy is of importance, while the X-ray resonant Raman spectrum contains information about the phase of the valence electron wavefunction, and finally the X-ray Raman spectra provide information similar to that of XANES and EXAFS but easier. Which inelastic interaction is dominant for a given sample depends on the combination of the energy of the incident photon and the scattering angle. The tunability of the synchrotron X-ray beam, the high flux and degree of polarization are the reasons that the synchrotron facilities are the only places where the study of condensed matter via inelastic scattering can be carried out. Presented here are the interactions with the common characteristic omega-1 > omega-2, and the advantages of employing the synchrotron radiation sources in the utilization of these interactions as tools in the solid-state investigation.