Practical use of waveguides for polarized neutrons studies

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the application of planar waveguides to generate polarized neutron microbeams for high-resolution magnetic micro-structure studies, including experimental results on a polarized neutron reflectometer.

Contribution

It introduces the use of nonmagnetic waveguides to produce neutron microbeams for magnetic micro-structure investigation, advancing neutron microbeam techniques.

Findings

Successful generation of neutron microbeams with waveguides

Spin-resolved transmission measurements of microwires

Mapping of neutron precession across magnetic wires

Abstract

We present the use of planar waveguides to produce neutron microbeams in order to investigate magnetic micro-structures with a micrometric spatial resolution. We report experimental results on such measurements on a polarized neutron reflectometer using a nonmagnetic waveguide structure to probe an amorphous magnetic microwire. The spin-resolved transmission of a neutron microbeam through a microwire was studied. The one dimensional mapping of the neutron precession across the wire was measured.