Generation of neutron Airy beams

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental creation of neutron Airy beams using a holographic method, overcoming previous challenges and enabling new research and applications in neutron optics and fundamental physics.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel holographic technique to generate neutron Airy beams, marking the first successful experimental demonstration of such beams with neutrons.

Findings

First experimental neutron Airy beams demonstrated

Holographic approach overcomes previous technical challenges

Potential for new neutron optics components and physics studies

Abstract

The Airy wave packet is a solution to the potential-free Schrodinger equation that exhibits remarkable properties such as self-acceleration, non-diffraction, and self-healing. Although Airy beams are now routinely realized with electromagnetic waves and electrons, the implementation with neutrons has remained elusive due to small transverse coherence lengths, low fluence rates, and the absence of neutron lenses. In this work, we overcome these challenges through a holographic approach and present the first experimental demonstration of neutron Airy beams. The presented techniques pave the way for fundamental physics studies with Airy beams of non-elementary particles, the development of novel neutron optics components, and the realization of neutron Airy-vortex beams.