Wide-angle polarization analysis with 3He for neutron scattering instrumentation at the JCNS

Abstract

Polarization analysis is an important technique for polarized neutron scattering as it allows one to obtain the full information about the vector magnetization in the sample that is critically important for detailed understanding of physical properties of molecular magnets, new superconductors, spin electronic and magnetic nanostructures, as well as the self-organization of magnetic nanostructures. In the simplified 1-dimensional version polarization analysis allows for the separation of coherent and incoherent scattering, making it a potentially important technique for studies of non-deuterated biological objects that themselves produce unavoidable background. We compare some of the major considerations between two different methods for the polarization analysis - supermirror based analyzers and polarized 3He neutron spin filters and point out when the latter is beneficial from the point of view of our neutron experiments and instrumentation. We will also discuss some specific requirements to such neutron spin filters and summarize the classes of instrumentation where they will be applied at the JCNS. Finally we will describe a successful application for small-angle neutron scattering from a biological sample. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.