An analytical technique used to examine the properties of materials at the atomic scale. It involves emitting neutrons from a radioactive source and directed into a substance being tested. The atomic nuclei of the substance are bombarded by neutrons. When a neutron collides with heavy nuclei of the substance, less energy is transferred from the neutron than if it hits light nuclei. The neutrons scattered back to the vicinity of the source are measured by a sensitive radiation counter. Neutron scattering is widely used in the study of materials in many fields of science and engineering such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, nanotechnology, and IT.