Phase determination in spin-polarized neutron specular reflectometry by using a magnetic substrate

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for phase determination in spin-polarized neutron reflectometry using a magnetic substrate and polarization analysis, enabling unique reconstruction of the scattering length density profile.

Contribution

It introduces a transfer matrix-based approach that recovers phase information for unknown nonmagnetic films utilizing magnetic substrates and polarization analysis.

Findings

Method effectively recovers phase information

Applicable to unknown real scattering length density

Works without effective absorption constraints

Abstract

The scattering length density profile for a thin film structure can be determined uniquely if both modulus and phase of the reflection coefficient is known. Here, we describe a method for recovering the phase information which utilize a magnetic substrate and based on polarization analysis of the reflected beam. The method is derived in the formalism of transfer matrix so it is applicable for any unknown real scattering length density of nonmagnetic films (i.e. in the case where there is no effective absorption).