Generalized Optical Theorem for Structured Neutron Beams and Consequences for Forward-Transmission Null Tests of Time-Reversal Invariance

TL;DR

This paper generalizes the optical theorem to structured neutron beams with orbital angular momentum, analyzing implications for time-reversal symmetry tests and showing the effect is negligible in current experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a new form of the optical theorem for neutron OAM states and explores its impact on null tests of T invariance in neutron scattering.

Findings

Generalized optical theorem for neutron OAM states derived.

Modification of null condition for T violation in forward scattering.

Effect is negligible compared to systematic errors in neutron experiments.

Abstract

The simple form of the optical theorem of scattering theory, $\sigma_{\rm tot}^{\rm pw} = (4\pi/k)\,\Im f(0)$, is valid for an incident plane wave or for a wave packet whose Fourier components possess azimuthal symmetry about the incident wave vector $\vec{k}$. Previous work has shown that this expression can break down for structured beams of light which possess orbital angular momentum (OAM), despite the fact that there is clearly no violation of unitarity, and the relevant modifications have been worked out for the case of massless photons. We present a form of the optical theorem involving neutron OAM states for the case of the scattering of massive nonrelativistic particles. We apply this form to Ryndin's theorem on the application of time reversal symmetry to forward scattering, indicate how the statement of the null condition for T violation in forward scattering is modified, and show that this effect is negligible compared with other sources of systematic error in neutron optics transmission experiments.