Development of neutron spin phase contrast imaging

We present an imaging technique utilizing a neutron spin interferometer. Neutron spin phase contrast is achieved in spatial resolved measurements of the phase difference between two superposed neutron spin states introduced by passing through a magnetic sample. Since the phase difference of spin states parallel and anti-parallel to the magnetic field is proportional to the magnetic field integral, it is possible to record images of the internal magnetic field distribution of the sample. Taking advantage of high transmission probabilities, neutron spin phase contrast provides non-destructive images of internal magnetic structures.     

High resolution NRSE spectrometer with 2D-focusing supermirrors

In the neutron resonance spin echo (NRSE) spectrometer [1] the divergent beam provides the deviation of the flight length, which makes the phase difference between neutron spin states and also decreases the contrast of the spin echo signals. The flight length can be adjusted by using parabolic focusing mirrors [11], which can be fabricated with replica technique. Correction for beam divergence effect in the NRSE spectrometer using 2D-focusing supermirrors will be discussed.     

Larmor spin precession and neutron optics

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.     

Neutron experiments to search for new spin-dependent interactions

The consideration is presented of possible neutron experiments to search for new short-range spin-dependent forces. The spin-dependent nucleon-nucleon interaction between neutron and nuclei may cause different effects: phase shift of a neutron wave in neutron interferometers of different kind, in particular of the Lloyd mirror configuration, neutron spin rotation in the pseudo-magnetic field, and transverse deflection of polarized neutron beam by a slab of substance. Estimates of sensitivity of these experiments are performed.     

Spin correlations in the paramagnetic phase and ring exchange in La2CuO4

Spin correlations in the paramagnetic phase of La(2)CuO(4) have been studied using polarized neutron scattering, with two important results. First, the temperature dependence of the characteristic energy scale of the fluctuations and the amplitude of the neutron structure factor are shown to be in quantitative agreement with the predictions of the quantum nonlinear sigma model. Second, a comparison of a high-temperature series expansion of the equal-time spin correlations with the diffuse neutron intensity provides definitive experimental evidence for ring exchange.     

Neutron multiwave spin echo

The neutron multiwave interference mode is investigated using the spin echo technique. In this mode a neutron wave repeatedly splits in the magnetic field of resonance coils, which results in the appearance of additional maxima of a constructive interference being absent in the well-known classical and resonance neutron spin echo modes. Simple analytical expressions well describing the experimental data are presented. It is demonstrated that the multiwave part of a spin echo signal appears when the spin flip probability in radiofrequency coils of a resonance spin echo device is ρ < 1. The possibility to use the neutron multiwave spin echo mode for investigation of high-order correlation functions, spatial and time correlations of three and more particles, is discussed.     

Optimised adiabatic fast passage spin flipping for He neutron spin filters

We describe here a method of performing adiabatic fast passage (AFP) spin flipping of polarized ³He used as a neutron spin filter (NSF) to polarize neutron beams. By reversing the spin states of the ³He nuclei the polarization of a neutron beam can be efficiently reversed allowing for the transmission of a neutron beam polarized in either spin state. Using an amplitude modulated frequency sweep lasting 500 ms we can spin flip a polarized ³He neutron spin filter with only 1.8×10⁻⁵ loss in ³He polarization. The small magnetic fields (10-15 G) used to house neutron spin filters mean the ³He resonant frequencies are low enough to be generated using a computer with a digital I/O card. The versatility of this systems allows AFP to be performed on any beamline or in any laboratory using ³He neutron spin filters and polarization losses can be minimised by adjusting sweep parameters.     

Noncommutation of Pauli spin operators in neutron polarimetry

A neutron spin polarimetric experiment is described which explicitly demonstrates the noncommutation properties of Pauli spin operators. Commutation of the sequential order of two successive π spin rotators leads to different final polarization states of the transmitted neutron beam. An interpretation of the observations is also given in terms of interference between two mutually orthogonal spin states that undergo different phase shifts upon the commutation of spin rotators.     

基于冷中子谱的紧凑型中子自旋倒相器设计

为节省极化中子散射谱仪传输光路的空间,实现特定冷中子谱的极化中子高效率自旋翻转,使用在空间上自然衰减的前端多层膜极化器静磁场作为中子自旋倒相器的导向磁场,在空间上形成了紧凑型冷中子自旋倒相器设计模型。介绍了实际模型物理参数的计算方法。对前端极化器静磁场在空间上的自然衰减进行了实验测试,根据测试结果及拟使用冷中子波段,针对设计的紧凑型中子自旋倒相器的相关参数进行了优化计算。模拟了极化中子在实际复合磁场中的自旋翻转图像,计算了自旋倒相器的翻转效率。对设计的紧凑型中子自旋倒相器进行了翻转效率物理实验测试,测试结果表明：设计的中子自旋倒相器翻转效率可在99.2%以上,达到了预期设计指标,可用于极化冷中子散射谱仪。     

Spin waves in the block checkerboard antiferromagnetic phase

Motivated by the discovery of a new family of 122 iron-based superconductors, we present the theoretical results on the ground state phase diagram, spin wave, and dynamic structure factor obtained from the extended J₁-J₂ Heisenberg model. In the reasonable physical parameter region of K₂Fe₄Se₅, we find that the block checkerboard antiferromagnetic order phase is stable. There are two acoustic spin wave branches and six optical spin wave branches in the block checkerboard antiferromagnetic phase, which have analytic expressions at the high-symmetry points. To further compare the experimental data on neutron scattering, we investigate the saddlepoint structure of the magnetic excitation spectrum and the inelastic neutron scattering pattern based on linear spin wave theory.     

NEUTRON SPIN INTERFERENCE,PRINCIPLE OF SPINOR SUPERPOSITION AND INFLUENCE OF EARTH GRAVITY ON THE NSE

The interfererice between the spinor components of the potarized neutron beam passing through a Mezei-coil investiga-ted. 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 h and the Newtonian gravitational constant G(or q) both are involved in the phase shift θ, which is independent of the neutron mass.     

Ramsey resonance for a pulsed beam

An experiment on a Ramsey resonance for pulsed neutrons is discussed. The separated oscillatory fields for nuclear magnetic resonance were synchronized with a neutron pulse, and then the Ramsey resonance was observed as a function of the neutron velocity. The neutron spin was manipulated as a function of the neutron velocity. The phase of one of the oscillatory fields was modulated as a function of the neutron time of flight for a neutron velocity measurement.     

Spin glasses: Comments on some experimental results

Some of the experimental results on spin glasses commonly interpreted as showing a sharp magnetic phase transition are re-examined. Recent neutron scattering measurements add significantly to our understanding of the phenomena occuring in spin glasses. These results together with those on other physical properties are discussed in terms of a unified picture of freezing of spins in the binary alloys.     

Antiferromagnetism of nuclear matter in the model with effective Gogny interaction

The possibility of ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transitions in symmetric nuclear matter is analyzed within the framework of a Fermi liquid theory with effective Gogny interaction. It is shown that, at some critical density, nuclear matter with the D1S effective force undergoes a phase transition to the AFM spin state (opposite directions of neutron and proton spins). The self-consistent equations of spin-polarized nuclear matter with the D1S force have no solutions corresponding to FM spin ordering (the same direction of neutron and proton spins) and, hence, the FM transition does not appear. The AFM spin polarization parameter is found for zero and finite temperature. It is shown that the AFM spin polarization parameter of partially polarized nuclear matter at low enough temperatures increases with temperature. The entropy of the AFM spin state for some temperature range is larger than the entropy of the normal state. Nevertheless, the free energy of the AFM spin state is always less than the free energy of the normal state, and the AFM spin-polarized state is preferable for all temperatures below the critical temperature. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Pressure-induced quantum phase transition in the spin-liquid TlCuCl3

The condensation of magnetic quasiparticles into the nonmagnetic ground state has been used to explain novel magnetic ordering phenomena observed in quantum spin systems. We present neutron scattering results across the pressure-induced quantum phase transition and for the novel ordered phase of the magnetic insulator TlCuCl3, which are consistent with the theoretically predicted two degenerate gapless Goldstone modes, similar to the low-energy spin excitations in the field-induced case. These novel experimental findings complete the field-induced Bose-Einstein condensate picture and support the recently proposed field-pressure phase diagram common for quantum spin systems with an energy gap of singlet-triplet nature.     

Direct measurement of the spin Hamiltonian and observation of condensation of magnons in the 2D frustrated quantum magnet Cs2CuCl4

We propose a method for measuring spin Hamiltonians and apply it to the spin- 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet Cs2CuCl4, which shows a 2D fractionalized resonating valence bond state at low fields. By applying strong fields we fully align the spin moment of Cs2CuCl4, transforming it into an effective ferromagnet. In this phase the excitations are conventional magnons and their dispersion relation measured using neutron scattering give the exchange couplings directly, which are found to form an anisotropic triangular lattice with small Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya terms. Using the field to control the excitations we observe Bose condensation of magnons into an ordered ground state.     

Magnetic inversion symmetry breaking and ferroelectricity in TbMnO3

TbMnO3 is an orthorhombic insulator where incommensurate spin order for temperature T(N)<41 K is accompanied by ferroelectric order for T<28 K. To understand this, we establish the magnetic structure above and below the ferroelectric transition using neutron diffraction. In the paraelectric phase, the spin structure is incommensurate and longitudinally modulated. In the ferroelectric phase, however, there is a transverse incommensurate spiral. We show that the spiral breaks spatial inversion symmetry and can account for magnetoelectricity in TbMnO3.     

Measurements of neutron interference and polarization effects caused by nuclear and magnetic interaction

The effects of simultaneous phase shift and spin rotation on neutron waves were measured with the perfect crystal neutron interferometer. Using an unpolarized beam of slow neutrons characteristic “beat” effects of the interference pattern and a polarization of the neutrons behind the interferometer could be observed.     

Cooperative ordering of gapped and gapless spin networks in Cu2Fe2Ge4O13

The unusual magnetic properties of a novel low-dimensional quantum ferrimagnet Cu2Fe2Ge4O13 are studied using bulk methods, neutron diffraction, and inelastic neutron scattering. It is shown that this material can be described in terms of two low-dimensional quantum spin subsystems, one gapped and the other gapless, characterized by two distinct energy scales. Long-range magnetic ordering observed at low temperatures is a cooperative phenomenon caused by weak coupling of these two spin networks.     

Effects of impurities and vortices on the low-energy spin excitations in high-Tc materials

We review a theoretical scenario for the origin of the spin-glass phase of underdoped cuprate materials. In particular it is shown how disorder in a correlated d-wave superconductor generates a magnetic phase by inducing local droplets of antiferromagnetic order which eventually merge and form a quasi-long range ordered state. When correlations are sufficiently strong, disorder is unimportant for the generation of static magnetism but plays an additional role of pinning disordered stripe configurations. We calculate the spin excitations in a disordered spin-density wave phase, and show how disorder and/or applied magnetic fields lead to a slowing down of the dynamical spin fluctuations in agreement with neutron scattering and muon spin rotation (μSR) experiments.