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Neutron diffraction experiments on small particles of lead in the pores of Vycor glass are described. The small particles have a coherence length of (107 ± 20) Å; there is only a slight increase in the lattice parameter as compared with bulk lead, but an analysis of the intensity of the diffraction peaks reveals that there is an increase in the average amplitude of vibration of 28%. At least 80% of the lead in the glass is present in the crystalline state and contributes to the coherent diffraction.

The frequencies of selected intermolecular modes of vibration and libration in a single crystal of deuterated ammonia (ND3) have been measured by the technique of coherent inelastic neutron scattering, at temperatures of 20 and 95 K. The results are compared with the previous optical measurements at the Γ point, and with calculations based on two different models for the intermolecular potential function. A detailed assessment of these data leads to a set of mode frequencies for the Γ, R, and M points. The elastic constants are calculated from the measured acoustic mode dispersion curves propagating along the three major symmetry directions. The existing intermolecular force models are in good qualitative agreement with experiment, but significant discrepancies remain to be resolved by future theoretical refinements.

A very simple model for the lattice dynamics of CS2 is presented. This model is fully stable for a unit cell distorted by no more than 2% from the measured cell and gives good agreement with lattice mode frequencies obtained from optical studies. Coulombic forces appear not to be important for this structure. The molecular motion in modes for all the special points in the Brillouin zone is described through the use of an explicit notation. The group theoretical work of Grout el al. is extended to give the full selection rules for coherent inelastic neutron scattering. These rules show that certain modes can be measured with minimal interference from scattering from modes of different symmetry when certain experimental conditions are adopted, and therefore these rules will be of great use in the neutron scattering studies now in progress.

The frequency/wave-vector dispersion relation for normal modes of vibration propagating along the [00ζ], [ζζ0], and [ζζζ] directions in uranium dioxide at 296 °K has been determined by studying the coherent one-phonon scattering of slow neutrons from a single-crystal specimen. Analysis of the results shows that a simple rigid-ion model of the crystal with axially symmetric forces between near-neighbor ions can provide qualitative agreement with experiment. A more complicated model, in which the ionic polarizabilities are taken into account, is needed to obtain quantitative agreement with the dispersion curves and with the known dielectric properties. Such a model provides an interpolation formula for computing the frequency distribution function and other related quantities, such as the Debye–Waller factors and lattice specific heat. Information concerning the anisotropy of the Debye–Waller factor for the oxygen ions and the configuration of the "magnetic" electrons in UO2 is derived by comparing these calculations with the appropriate experimental data. The optic-mode frequencies and dielectric constants of UO2 are shown to satisfy the Lyddane, Sachs, and Teller relation. The slopes of the acoustic-mode branches at small wave vectors are consistent with independently measured elastic constants.

Measurements have been carried out on selected phonon modes in sodium at temperatures down to 36 °K. No phonon instabilities have been found to be associated with the martensitic transformation in this metal.