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Title: Experiments with neutron Schroedinger waves

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6211673

Four neutron Schroedinger wave interference experiments are described: (A) Null Fizeau Effect for Thermal Neutrons in Moving Matter; (B) Precision Measurements of the Energy Dependent Scattering Length of /sup 235/U; (C) Gravitationally Induced Quantum Interference Experiment; and (D) Investigation of Incident-Beam Coherence Questions in Dynamical Diffraction Experiments. In the Fizeau Effect experiment is was verified that a neutron de Broglie wave is not affected by the state of motion of matter within fixed boundaries through which the neutron is propagating. Using neutron interferometric techniques, the energy dependent bound coherent scatting length of /sup 235/U was directly measured in the energy range of 30 meV to 92 with an error limit of 0.3%. Experimental data are in very good agreement with the theoretical values obtained from Breit-Wigner formalism. In the second generation Gravity Induced Quantum Interference Experiments (COW), results showed that the observed loss of contrast of the interference pattern is caused in part by the bending of the perfect crystal neutron interferometer. Lastly, mathematical and numerical calculation techniques are presented to investigate the effect of wavefront modulation and transverse coherence of an incident neutron beam in dynamical diffraction experiments. Experimental and theoretical pendelloesung interference patterns for dynamical neutron diffraction in perfect silicon crystal were obtained and compared.

Research Organization:
Missouri Univ., Columbia (USA)
OSTI ID:
6211673
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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