Three-port beam splitter for slow neutrons using holographic nanoparticle-polymer composite diffraction gratings

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a three-port beam splitter for slow neutrons using holographic nanoparticle-polymer composite gratings, enabling equal splitting of neutron beams into multiple diffraction orders, with potential applications in neutron interferometry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel holographic nanoparticle-polymer grating design that achieves three-port beam splitting for cold neutrons, a significant advancement in neutron optics.

Findings

Achieved equal splitting of neutron beams into three diffraction orders.

Demonstrated control over grating parameters to optimize beam splitting.

Discussed potential application in Zernike three-path interferometry.

Abstract

Diffraction of slow neutrons by nanoparticle-polymer composite gratings has been observed. By carefully choosing grating parameters such as grating thickness and spacing, a three-port beam splitter operation for cold neutrons - splitting the incident neutron intensity equally into the plus-minus first and zeroth diffraction orders - was realized. As a possible application, a Zernike three-path interferometer is briefly discussed.