Diffuse Scattering from Correlated Electron Systems

Abstract: The role of inhomegeneity in determining the properties of correlated electron systems is poorly understood because of the dearth of structural probes of disorder at the nanoscale. Advances in both neutron and x-ray scattering instrumentation now allow comprehensive measurements of diffuse scattering in single crystals over large volumes of reciprocal space, enabling structural correlations to be characterized over a range of length scales from 10~{\AA} to 200~{\AA} or more. When combined with new analysis tools, such as three-dimensional difference pair-distribution functions, these advanced capabilities have produced novel insights into the interplay of structural fluctuations and electronic properties in a broad range of correlated electron materials. This review describes recent investigations that have demonstrated the importance of understanding structural inhomogeneity pertaining to phenomena as diverse as superconductivity, charge-density-wave modulations, metal-insulator transitions, and multipolar interactions.