X-ray scattering studies of lanthanide magnetism

Interest in the applications of X-ray synchrotron radiation has grown rapidly during the last decade. At the present time, intense, ultra-bright synchrotron radiation is available on a routine basis from third-generation sources located in Europe (ESRF), North America (APS) and Japan (Spring8). This burgeoning activity is driven both by advances in technology and a rapidly developing understanding of how to exploit the high-intensity beams from these sources. Widely diverse areas of science have benefited, including physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, geology, and others. With increasing frequency, cross-disciplinary efforts have led to the creation of entirely new fields, such as in the study of complex materials, surface science, and in applications of real space imaging. In synchrotron-based research generally, it is a time of enormous productivity and excitement that promises much for the future.