Experimental observation of guided polarized neutrons in magnetic-thin-film waveguides

Abstract

Guided propagation of polarized neutrons has been observed directly in magnetic CoZr/Al/CoZr trilayer deposited on ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{3}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{5}$${\mathrm{O}}_{12}$ garnet substrate by using neutron reflectometry technique. The resonance observed in the transmission spectrum of neutrons corresponding to two low order guided modes is in good agreement with theoretical predictions. A detailed theoretical description of the guided propagation in thin-film neutron waveguides is also presented.