Neutron multiwave interference experiments with many resonance coils

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Vol. 335; no. 1; pp. 243 - 246
• Main Authors: Grigoriev, S.V., Chetverikov, Yu.O., Kraan, W.H., Rekveldt, M.Th
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2003
• Subjects: Neutron multiwave interference; 03.75.D; 42.87.B; Neutron multiwave interference
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/S0921-4526(03)00247-3

Neutron multiwave interference phenomena based on Ramsey's resonance method of “separated oscillating fields” are studied. The neutron passes through N successive resonant coils (with DC field B 0) which flip the neutron spin with a probability ρ (written as ρ= sin 2 ξ ) smaller than 1. These coils are separated by path lengths l over which a homogeneous field B 1 is present. Because the spin-flip probability ρ is smaller than 1, the number of states is doubled after each flipper, so as to produce 2 N neutron waves at the end of the set-up. The phase difference between any pair of waves is a multiple of a “phase quantum” equaled to the line integral over length l of the field difference B 1− B 0. Highly regular patterns of the quantum mechanical probability R in ( B 1, ξ)-space appear due to pair interference between individual waves.