We consider the neutron-optical phenomena that emerge during the coherent interaction of a neutron with a sample when the neutron spin precesses in a magnetic field. As follows from general considerations, such an interaction gives rise to an extra precession phase, which is added to the Larmor precession phase. This phenomenon can be interpreted as a manifestation of the time delay due to a finite time of the neutron-sample interaction. The Larmor neutron spin precession with a constant frequency serves as a clock for measuring this time delay. We used such a clock to directly measure the difference between the neutron velocity in matter and its vacuum value. We also present the results of the first experiments in which Larmor clocks were used to measure the neutron tunneling time in the resonance of a quasi-bound state and the Bragg diffraction time. Prospects for further applications of the method are discussed.We consider the neutron-optical phenomena that emerge during the coherent interaction of a neutron with a sample when the neutron spin precesses in a magnetic field. As follows from general considerations, such an interaction gives rise to an extra precession phase, which is added to the Larmor precession phase. This phenomenon can be interpreted as a manifestation of the time delay due to a finite time of the neutron-sample interaction. The Larmor neutron spin precession with a constant frequency serves as a clock for measuring this time delay. We used such a clock to directly measure the difference between the neutron velocity in matter and its vacuum value. We also present the results of the first experiments in which Larmor clocks were used to measure the neutron tunneling time in the resonance of a quasi-bound state and the Bragg diffraction time. Prospects for further applications of the method are discussed.

Physics of Atomic NucleiNov 1, 200217 citations

Anomalous thermal decoherence in a quantum magnet measured with neutron spin echo spectroscopy

Felix Groitl, T. Keller, Katharina Rolfs +2 more

The effect of temperature dependent asymmetric line broadening is investigated in $\mathrm{Cu}({\mathrm{NO}}_{3}{)}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2.5{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$, a model material for a one-dimensional bond alternating Heisenberg chain, using the high resolution neutron-resonance spin echo (NRSE) technique. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments on dispersive excitations including phase sensitive measurements demonstrate the potential of NRSE to resolve line shapes, which are non-Lorentzian, opening up a new and hitherto unexplored class of experiments for the NRSE method beyond standard linewidth measurements. The particular advantage of NRSE is its direct access to the correlations in the time domain without convolution with the resolution function of the background spectrometer. This application of NRSE is very promising and establishes a basis for further experiments on different systems, since the results for Cu( ${\mathrm{NO}}_{3}$ )${}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2.5{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ are applicable to a broad range of quantum systems.The effect of temperature dependent asymmetric line broadening is investigated in $\mathrm{Cu}({\mathrm{NO}}_{3}{)}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2.5{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$, a model material for a one-dimensional bond alternating Heisenberg chain, using the high resolution neutron-resonance spin echo (NRSE) technique. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments on dispersive excitations including phase sensitive measurements demonstrate the potential of NRSE to resolve line shapes, which are non-Lorentzian, opening up a new and hitherto unexplored class of experiments for the NRSE method beyond standard linewidth measurements. The particular advantage of NRSE is its direct access to the correlations in the time domain without convolution with the resolution function of the background spectrometer. This application of NRSE is very promising and establishes a basis for further experiments on different systems, since the results for Cu(${\mathrm{NO}}_{3}$)${}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2.5{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ are applicable to a broad range of quantum systems.

arXiv:1602.08223Physical review. B./Physical review. BApr 4, 20167 citations

Quantum Neutron Optics

Helmut Rauch

Springer eBooksJan 1, 19940 citations

Neutron interferometers and apparatus

Helmut Rauch, Samuel A. Werner

Abstract Among the various areas of neutron optical research, neutron interferometry has provided some of the most challenging and spectacular developments. In most cases, separated coherent beams are used which are produced either by wavefront division (Young’s type) or by amplitude division (Mach− Zehnder type). These beams are subsequently coherently superposed after passing through regions of space where the neutron wavefunction is modified in phase and amplitude by various interactions: nuclear, magnetic, electromagnetic, gravitational, or by geometry and topology (as in Aharonov−Bohm-type experiments). Various types of neutron interferometers that have been tested are shown in Fig. 2.1. The first neutron interferometer was based upon wavefront division and biprism deflection, but it had several constraints for interferometric applications mainly due to the small beam separation (100 μm) (Maier-Leibnitz and Springer 1962). Nevertheless, this method gained further interest for diffraction experiments from macroscopic objects and for the detection of weak interaction effects where the long flight paths (10 m) enhance the sensitivity for the measurements of these effects (Gähler et al. 1980; Klein et al. 1981a). The perfect-crystal interferometer (Rauch et al. 1974) provides widely separated coherent beams and has become a standard method for advanced neutron optical investigations. The development of diffraction and phase grating interferometers extended the Mach-Zehnder interferometer method to very slow neutrons (loffe et al. 1985; Gruber et al. 1989). The superposition of spin-up and spin-down states in the longitudinal direction provides the basis for Larmor and Ramsey interferometry, where no lateral beam splitting is necessary. The well-known spin-echo systems (Mezei 1972) and zero-field spin-echo systems (Gähler and Golub 1987; Dubbers et al. 1989) are examples of such interferometers, which also play an important role in atom interferometry (Bord é 1989; Kasevich and Chu 1991; Riehle et al. 1991).Abstract Among the various areas of neutron optical research, neutron interferometry has provided some of the most challenging and spectacular developments. In most cases, separated coherent beams are used which are produced either by wavefront division (Young’s type) or by amplitude division (Mach− Zehnder type). These beams are subsequently coherently superposed after passing through regions of space where the neutron wavefunction is modified in phase and amplitude by various interactions: nuclear, magnetic, electromagnetic, gravitational, or by geometry and topology (as in Aharonov−Bohm-type experiments). Various types of neutron interferometers that have been tested are shown in Fig. 2.1. The first neutron interferometer was based upon wavefront division and biprism deflection, but it had several constraints for interferometric applications mainly due to the small beam separation (100 μm) (Maier-Leibnitz and Springer 1962). Nevertheless, this method gained further interest for diffraction experiments from macroscopic objects and for the detection of weak interaction effects where the long flight paths (10 m) enhance the sensitivity for the measurements of these effects (Gähler et al. 1980; Klein et al. 1981a). The perfect-crystal interferometer (Rauch et al. 1974) provides widely separated coherent beams and has become a standard method for advanced neutron optical investigations. The development of diffraction and phase grating interferometers extended the Mach-Zehnder interferometer method to very slow neutrons (loffe et al. 1985; Gruber et al. 1989). The superposition of spin-up and spin-down states in the longitudinal direction provides the basis for Larmor and Ramsey interferometry, where no lateral beam splitting is necessary. The well-known spin-echo systems (Mezei 1972) and zero-field spin-echo systems (Gähler and Golub 1987; Dubbers et al. 1989) are examples of such interferometers, which also play an important role in atom interferometry (Bord é 1989; Kasevich and Chu 1991; Riehle et al. 1991).

Aug 10, 20000 citations

Neutron spin interferometry

В. Г. Барышевский, С. В. Черепица, Aleksandr I Frank

Physics Letters AMar 1, 199125 citations

{\mathrm{NO}}_{3}

)${}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2.5{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ are applicable to a broad range of quantum systems.