Experimental Approbation of Reference Layer Method in Resonant Neutron Reflectometry

Resumo

Abstract—The first application of resonant neutron scattering at Gd atoms for the experimental determination of the phase of the reflection coefficient in neutron reflectometry is presented in this paper. The surface of the sample studied was covered by the reference Gd layer, for which the scattering length of thermal neutrons is highly energy-dependent. After measuring the coefficient of specular reflection of neutrons at three different wavelengths of each impulse, we were able to resolve the phase problem of the neutron reflectometry and determine the absolute magnitude and phase of the complex reflection coefficient from an unknown part of sample structure.