Consequences of dynamical diffraction and the Sagnac effect in LLL perfect single crystal interferometers

Kenneth C. Littrell

doi:10.1016/j.physb.2006.05.186

Consequences of dynamical diffraction and the Sagnac effect in LLL perfect single crystal interferometers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The LLL perfect single crystal interferometer is an exciting tool for exploring a variety of topics of fundamental importance in understanding quantum mechanics and for precision measurement of neutron scattering lengths. One of the limiting factors in many neutron interferometry experiments is the overall size of the interferometer. Hence, ever-larger interferometers would seem to be preferable. However, the theory of dynamical diffraction predicts that neutrons that nearly but not exactly satisfy the Bragg condition take different trajectories through a crystal, giving rise to multiple mutually interfering wavefunctions that all contribute to the measurement of an interferogram. This complexity results in shifts in the measured phase difference and a loss of contrast of the interferogram in the presence of potentials which are dependent on the spatial differences between the trajectories of the neutron through the interferometer. This effect has already been experimentally verified for the gravitational potential. Here we discuss the similar effects of dynamical diffraction on the phase shift due to the Sagnac effect and their consequences on the observable contrast in large-scale interferometers.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1371-1373
Number of pages	3
Journal	Physica B: Physics of Condensed Matter
Volume	385-386
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2006.05.186
State	Published - Nov 15 2006
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Argonne National Laboratory is supported by the United States Department of Energy-Basic Energy Sciences under Contract no. W-31-109-ENG-38. This work is the extension of doctoral dissertation research performed under the supervision of S. A. Werner at the University of Missouri-Columbia, supported by the Physics Division of the US National Science Foundation through Grant #9024608 and a US Department of Education GAANN Fellowship. Some of this work was performed at the Image Technology Division of RIKEN while supported by the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Government of Japan.

Funders	Funder number
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Government of Japan
United States Department of Energy-Basic Energy Sciences	W-31-109-ENG-38
National Science Foundation	9024608
U.S. Department of Education
University of Missouri
RIKEN

Keywords

Dynamical diffraction
Neutron interferometry
Sagnac effect

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10.1016/j.physb.2006.05.186

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Consequences of dynamical diffraction and the Sagnac effect in LLL perfect single crystal interferometers

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Keywords

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