The phenomenon of superconductivity - after its discovery in metals such as mercury, lead, zinc, etc. by Kamerlingh-Onnes in 19]] - has attracted many scientists. Superconductivity was described in a very satisfactory manner by the model proposed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer, and by the extensions proposed by Abrikosov, Gorkov and Eliashberg. Relations were established between superconductivity and the fundamental properties of solids, resulting in a possible upper limit of the critical temperature at about 23 K. The breakthrough that revolutionized the field was made in 1986 by Bednorz and Muller with the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in layered copper-oxide perovskites. Today the record in transition temperature is 133 K for a Hg based cuprate system. The last decade has not only seen a revolution in the size of the critical temperature, but also in the myriads of research groups that entered the field. In addition, high-temperature superconductivity became a real interdisciplinary topic and brought together physicists, chemists and materials scientists who started to investigate the new compounds with almost all the available experimental techniques and theoretical methods. As a consequence we have witnessed an avalanche of publications which has never occurred in any field of science so far and which makes it difficult for the individual to be thoroughly informed about the relevant results and trends. Neutron scattering has outstanding properties in the elucidation of the basic properties of high-temperature superconductors.

Neutron scattering has become a key technique for investigating the properties of materials on an atomic scale. The uniqueness of this method is based on the fact that the wavelength and energy of thermal neutrons ideally match interatomic distances and excitation energies in condensed matter, and thus neutron scattering is able to directly examine the static and dynamic properties of the material. In addition, neutrons carry a magnetic moment, which makes them a unique probe for detecting magnetic phenomena. In this important book, an introduction to the basic principles and instrumental aspects of neutron scattering is provided, and the most important phenomena and materials properties in condensed matter physics are described and exemplified by typical neutron scattering experiments, with emphasis on explaining how the relevant information can be extracted from the measurements.

Neutron scattering has become a key technique for investigating the properties of materials on an atomic scale. The uniqueness of this method is based on the fact that the wavelength and energy of thermal neutrons ideally match interatomic distances and excitation energies in condensed matter, and thus neutron scattering is able to directly examine the static and dynamic properties of the material. In addition, neutrons carry a magnetic moment, which makes them a unique probe for detecting magnetic phenomena. In this important book, an introduction to the basic principles and instrumental aspects of neutron scattering is provided, and the most important phenomena and materials properties in condensed matter physics are described and exemplified by typical neutron scattering experiments, with emphasis on explaining how the relevant information can be extracted from the measurements.

The phenomenon of superconductivity - after its discovery in metals such as mercury, lead, zinc, etc. by Kamerlingh-Onnes in 19]] - has attracted many scientists. Superconductivity was described in a very satisfactory manner by the model proposed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer, and by the extensions proposed by Abrikosov, Gorkov and Eliashberg. Relations were established between superconductivity and the fundamental properties of solids, resulting in a possible upper limit of the critical temperature at about 23 K. The breakthrough that revolutionized the field was made in 1986 by Bednorz and Muller with the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in layered copper-oxide perovskites. Today the record in transition temperature is 133 K for a Hg based cuprate system. The last decade has not only seen a revolution in the size of the critical temperature, but also in the myriads of research groups that entered the field. In addition, high-temperature superconductivity became a real interdisciplinary topic and brought together physicists, chemists and materials scientists who started to investigate the new compounds with almost all the available experimental techniques and theoretical methods. As a consequence we have witnessed an avalanche of publications which has never occurred in any field of science so far and which makes it difficult for the individual to be thoroughly informed about the relevant results and trends. Neutron scattering has outstanding properties in the elucidation of the basic properties of high-temperature superconductors.