Present Status and Prospects for Spin-Echo Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SESANS) at PIK Neutron Source1

摘要

We discuss the present status and the prospects of Spin-Echo Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SESANS) against the background of the available expertise and the neutron source PIK at PNPI (Gatchina). Two options for SESANS instruments are reviewed:(1) monochromatic with π-flipping permalloy foils and (2) with adiabatic radio frequency spin flippers in a white beam, combined with time-of-flight data collec-tion. A software tool for quantitative prediction of the technical properties of option (2) is developed. For both options, we show that a SESANS instrument which can compete with instruments elsewhere, is realistic. For option (2), we suggest a perspective of spin-echo-length range such that neutron interference experiments become feasible.