Holographic hyperbranched polymer nanocomposite grating with exceptionally large neutron scattering length density modulation amplitudes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that holographic hyperbranched polymer nanocomposite gratings exhibit exceptionally high neutron scattering length density modulation amplitudes, promising enhanced neutron diffraction efficiency for advanced applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel neutron optical property of hyperbranched-polymer-dispersed nanocomposite gratings with record-high scattering length density modulation amplitudes.

Findings

Record-high neutron scattering length density modulation amplitudes.

High neutron diffraction efficiency potential with thicker gratings.

Low angular and wavelength selectivity constraints.

Abstract

Nanoparticle-polymer composite gratings incorporating ultrahigh-refractive-index hyperbranched polymers as organic nanoparticles have demonstrated exceptional light optical properties, yet their potential for neutron diffraction applications remains unexplored. We report on the neutron optical properties of a holographically structured hyperbranched-polymer-dispersed nanocomposite grating at a quasi-monochromatic neutron wavelength of 2 nm. We show that neutron diffraction measurements performed at the SANS-I instrument of the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) reveal exceptionally high neutron scattering length density modulation amplitudes. These scattering length density modulation amplitudes are the highest reported to date. Very high neutron diffraction efficiency is expected with the use of thicker uniform gratings and longer neutron wavelengths, with low angular and wavelength selectivity constraints.