Towards spatially resolved magnetic small-angle scattering studies by polarized and polarization-analyzed neutron dark-field contrast imaging

In the past decade neutron dark-field contrast imaging has developed from a qualitative tool depicting microstructural inhomogeneities in bulk samples on a macroscopic scale of tens to hundreds of micrometers to a quantitative spatial resolved small-angle scattering instrument. While the direct macroscopic image resolution around tens of micrometers remains untouched microscopic structures have become assessable quantitatively from the nanometer to the micrometer range. Although it was found that magnetic structures provide remarkable contrast we could only recently introduce polarized neutron grating interferometric imaging. Here we present a polarized and polarization analyzed dark-field contrast method for spatially resolved small-angle scattering studies of magnetic microstructures. It is demonstrated how a polarization analyzer added to a polarized neutron grating interferometer does not disturb the interferometric measurements but allows to separate and measure spin-flip and non-spin-flip small-angle scattering and thus also the potential for a distinction of nuclear and different magnetic contributions in the analyzed small-angle scattering.

Automated summary

In the past decade, neutron dark-field contrast imaging has evolved from a qualitative tool to a quantitative spatial resolved small-angle scattering instrument, allowing for quantitative assessment of microscopic structures from the nanometer to micrometer range. The introduction of polarized neutron grating interferometric imaging has enabled the development of a polarized and polarization analyzed dark-field contrast method for studying magnetic microstructures with spatially resolved small-angle scattering. This method allows for the separation and measurement of spin-flip and non-spin-flip small-angle scattering, as well as the potential for distinguishing nuclear and different magnetic contributions in the analyzed small-angle scattering.