neutronrefleksjon

Neutron reflection is a phenomenon that occurs when neutrons interact with a surface and are scattered back towards the incident direction. This effect is analogous to the reflection of light from a mirror, though the underlying physical principles are different. Neutron reflection is primarily governed by the interaction between the neutron's magnetic moment and the magnetic fields present in the reflecting material, or by the nuclear interaction between the neutron and the atomic nuclei in the material.

The extent to which neutrons are reflected depends on the properties of the reflecting surface, including its composition, density, and any magnetic ordering. Smooth surfaces with well-defined interfaces tend to produce specular reflection, where the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence. Rougher surfaces can lead to diffuse reflection, scattering neutrons in a wider range of angles. Neutron reflection is a critical technique in neutron scattering experiments, used for studying the structure and dynamics of materials at the atomic and molecular level. It allows researchers to probe surfaces and interfaces with high sensitivity, providing insights into phenomena such as magnetism, thin film growth, and adsorption. Specialized instruments called neutron reflectometers are designed to perform these measurements, often utilizing neutron beams with specific energies and angles of incidence to achieve desired resolution and penetration depth. The analysis of reflected neutron intensity as a function of angle provides quantitative information about the depth-dependent scattering length density and magnetic moment profiles of the sample.