Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Communications in Theoretical Physics

Neutron Spin Interference, Principle of Spinor Superposition and Influence of Earth Gravity on the NSE

Mu-Lin Yan, Wu Min, Zhang Tai-Yong, Zhang Yong-De, Ruan Tu-Nan

Published Jul 1, 1985• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The interfererice between the spinor components of the potarized neutron beam passing through a Mezei-coil investigated. The authors proposed a method to detect the phase shift of the spinor Components a to test the principle of the fermion spin superposition. The influence of the earth gravity on the spinor interference is considered. The results show that the Planck's constant and the Newtonian gravitational constant G(or q) both are involved in the phase shift , which is independent of the neutron mass.

DOI
10.1088/0253-6102/4/4/473

Related papers

A Possible Way to Detect the Interference Between the Neutron Spinor Components

M.L. Yan

The interference effect between the neutron spinor components is investigated. It is shown that the diffusion of the neutron wave-packet under an unhomogeneous magnetic field is related to the phase shift angle between the two spinor components. We propose that this effect could be used to detect the phase-shift of a coherent neutron beam having passed through some medium. In the interference experiment based upon this principle one will not need to use Bragg reflection from crystal planes for splitting and recombining the beam, and the dimension of the phase shift region will be much longer than that of the usual Bonse-Kart type neutron interferometer.

Communications in Theoretical Physics•Jul 1, 1983•0 citations

Neutron Interference: General Theory of the Influence of Gravity Inertia and Space-Time Torsion

Jürgen Audretsch, Cláus Lämmerzahl

The general theory of the influence of gravity, inertia (i.e. interferometer motion) and space-time torsion on the outcome of neutron interference experiments is presented. The exact results are obtained in a general relativistic treatment based on the description of a stationary working interferometer in Riemann-Cartan space-time and on the WKB approximation for the neutron waves. Particular attention is paid to the influence on the spinor amplitude. There are two types of resulting amplitude effects; one originates in the non-integrability of the spinor connection and represents the influence of a modified Riemann-Cartan curvature; the other is caused by the influence of the interferometer rotation and acceleration and of space-time torsion during the time interval between the emission of the two coherent neutron waves. For practical purposes small effects are treated in an approximation. Two examples of a global evaluation of the expressions are given. Applications including a gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect are discussed.

•Jul 1, 1983•0 citations

Neutron interference: general theory of the influence of gravity, inertia and space-time torsion

Jürgen Audretsch, Cláus Lämmerzahl

The general theory of the influence of gravity, inertia (i.e. interferometer motion) and space-time torsion on the outcome of neutron interference experiments is presented. The exact results are obtained in a general relativistic treatment based on the description of a stationary working interferometer in Riemann-Cartan space-time and on the WKB approximation for the neutron waves. Particular attention is paid to the influence on the spinor amplitude. There are two types of resulting amplitude effects; one originates in the non-integrability of the spinor connection and represents the influence of a modified Riemann-Cartan curvature; the other is caused by the influence of the interferometer rotation and acceleration and of space-time torsion during the time interval between the emission of the two coherent neutron waves. For practical purposes small effects are treated in an approximation. Two examples of a global evaluation of the expressions are given. Applications including a gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect are discussed.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Aug 1, 1983•39 citations

Reinterpretation of the effects of the Earth's rotation and gravity on the neutron-interferometry experiment

Ching-Chuan Su

The phase shift of matter wave due to the Earth's rotation and gravity has been demonstrated in the neutron-interferometry experiments where the Bragg reflection of the neutron wave from crystals is used to form a closed path. In the literature, the rotation-induced phase shift is ascribed to an extra energy term associated with angular momentum in the Hamiltonian. In this investigation, based on a classical treatment of the collision of neutrons with the lattice planes, the modifications in the particle velocity due to the Earth's rotation as well as those due to gravity are calculated. Then, in conjunction with the relation between the particle velocity and the propagation vector of matter wave, it is shown that the corresponding phase shifts in matter wave are in accord with the interference experiments. Thereby, based on the velocity modification due to collision, a reinterpretation of the effects of the Earth's rotation and gravity on the neutron-wave interference is presented. Meanwhile, a null effect of the Earth's orbital motion is predicted.

Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Oct 1, 2002•4 citations

Two-wavelength-difference measurement of gravitationally induced quantum interference phases

Kenneth C. Littrell, Brendan E. Allman, S. Werner

One of the significant successes in the field of neutron interferometry has been the experimental observation of the phase shift of a neutron de Broglie wave due to the action of the Earth's gravitational field. Past experiments have clearly demonstrated the effect and verified the quantum-mechanical equivalence of gravitational and inertial masses to a precision of about 1%. In this experiment the gravitationally induced phase shift of the neutron is measured with a statistical uncertainty of order 1 part in 1000 in two different interferometers. Nearly harmonic pairs of neutron wavelengths are used to measure and compensate for effects due to the distortion of the interferometer as it is tilted about the incident beam direction. A discrepancy between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured values of the phase shift due to gravity is observed at the 1% level. Extensions to the theoretical description of the shape of a neutron interferogram as a function of tilt in a gravitational field are discussed and compared with experiment.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1997•117 citations

General relativistic treatment of the Colella–Overhauser–Werner experiment on neutron interference in a gravitational field

Katalin Varjú, Lewis H. Ryder

In the Colella–Overhauser–Werner (COW) experiment a gravity-induced phase shift of spin 1/2 particles was detected. The experimental results were explained by using the Newtonian theory of gravity. The explanation can be easily given using general relativistic arguments and the highest order term reproduces the result of Colella, Overhauser, and Werner together with additional, lower order corrections. The derivation can be considered as an interesting exercise for students with basic knowledge of the field of general relativity.

American Journal of Physics•May 1, 2000•14 citations
The interfererice between the spinor components of the potarized neutron beam passing through a Mezei-coil investigated. The authors proposed a method to detect the phase shift of the spinor Components a to test the principle of the fermion spin superposition. The influence of the earth gravity on the spinor interference is considered. The results show that the Planck's constant and the Newtonian gravitational constant G(or q) both are involved in the phase shift , which is independent of the neutron mass.
The interference effect between the neutron spinor components is investigated. It is shown that the diffusion of the neutron wave-packet under an unhomogeneous magnetic field is related to the phase shift angle between the two spinor components. We propose that this effect could be used to detect the phase-shift of a coherent neutron beam having passed through some medium. In the interference experiment based upon this principle one will not need to use Bragg reflection from crystal planes for splitting and recombining the beam, and the dimension of the phase shift region will be much longer than that of the usual Bonse-Kart type neutron interferometer.
The general theory of the influence of gravity, inertia (i.e. interferometer motion) and space-time torsion on the outcome of neutron interference experiments is presented. The exact results are obtained in a general relativistic treatment based on the description of a stationary working interferometer in Riemann-Cartan space-time and on the WKB approximation for the neutron waves. Particular attention is paid to the influence on the spinor amplitude. There are two types of resulting amplitude effects; one originates in the non-integrability of the spinor connection and represents the influence of a modified Riemann-Cartan curvature; the other is caused by the influence of the interferometer rotation and acceleration and of space-time torsion during the time interval between the emission of the two coherent neutron waves. For practical purposes small effects are treated in an approximation. Two examples of a global evaluation of the expressions are given. Applications including a gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect are discussed.
The general theory of the influence of gravity, inertia (i.e. interferometer motion) and space-time torsion on the outcome of neutron interference experiments is presented. The exact results are obtained in a general relativistic treatment based on the description of a stationary working interferometer in Riemann-Cartan space-time and on the WKB approximation for the neutron waves. Particular attention is paid to the influence on the spinor amplitude. There are two types of resulting amplitude effects; one originates in the non-integrability of the spinor connection and represents the influence of a modified Riemann-Cartan curvature; the other is caused by the influence of the interferometer rotation and acceleration and of space-time torsion during the time interval between the emission of the two coherent neutron waves. For practical purposes small effects are treated in an approximation. Two examples of a global evaluation of the expressions are given. Applications including a gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect are discussed.
The phase shift of matter wave due to the Earth's rotation and gravity has been demonstrated in the neutron-interferometry experiments where the Bragg reflection of the neutron wave from crystals is used to form a closed path. In the literature, the rotation-induced phase shift is ascribed to an extra energy term associated with angular momentum in the Hamiltonian. In this investigation, based on a classical treatment of the collision of neutrons with the lattice planes, the modifications in the particle velocity due to the Earth's rotation as well as those due to gravity are calculated. Then, in conjunction with the relation between the particle velocity and the propagation vector of matter wave, it is shown that the corresponding phase shifts in matter wave are in accord with the interference experiments. Thereby, based on the velocity modification due to collision, a reinterpretation of the effects of the Earth's rotation and gravity on the neutron-wave interference is presented. Meanwhile, a null effect of the Earth's orbital motion is predicted.
One of the significant successes in the field of neutron interferometry has been the experimental observation of the phase shift of a neutron de Broglie wave due to the action of the Earth's gravitational field. Past experiments have clearly demonstrated the effect and verified the quantum-mechanical equivalence of gravitational and inertial masses to a precision of about 1%. In this experiment the gravitationally induced phase shift of the neutron is measured with a statistical uncertainty of order 1 part in 1000 in two different interferometers. Nearly harmonic pairs of neutron wavelengths are used to measure and compensate for effects due to the distortion of the interferometer as it is tilted about the incident beam direction. A discrepancy between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured values of the phase shift due to gravity is observed at the 1% level. Extensions to the theoretical description of the shape of a neutron interferogram as a function of tilt in a gravitational field are discussed and compared with experiment.
In the Colella–Overhauser–Werner (COW) experiment a gravity-induced phase shift of spin 1/2 particles was detected. The experimental results were explained by using the Newtonian theory of gravity. The explanation can be easily given using general relativistic arguments and the highest order term reproduces the result of Colella, Overhauser, and Werner together with additional, lower order corrections. The derivation can be considered as an interesting exercise for students with basic knowledge of the field of general relativity.