Resonant soft X-ray emission for studies of molecules and solids

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) has emerged as a powerful method for the study of the electronic structure of matter in various phases and ambient conditions. The selectivity offered by resonant excitation and polarization control in RIXS experiments offers rich information on excitations in molecules, liquids, and solids. The photon-in photon-out nature of RIXS makes it an interesting method in the study of ultra-high brightness FEL radiation interaction with matter. The present work offers an introductory review on the sub-key RIXS, including some historic comments. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.