Crystallographic refinement of collective excitations using standing wave inelastic X-ray scattering

► We propose coherent inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) as imaging method. ► We show coherent IXS accesses all non-zero components of charge response. ► One- and two-dimensional coherent IXS is not feasible. ► Three-dimensional coherent IXS can give enough data to image full charge response.