Figure 1

Schematic of the symmetric Talbot–Lau polarized neutron grating interferometer setup including the optional polarization analyzer. The setup consists of an adiabatic fast passage spin flipper (AFP), a source grating \((\mathrm {G_0})\), a phase grating \((\mathrm {G_1})\), an analyzer grating \((\mathrm {G_2}\), a polarization analyzer, a neutron detector and a guide field system (shaded pink). The spin analyzer can be moved out of the beam to the side, i.e. along the y-direction (IN and OUT). The probed polarization direction is along the z-axis. The magnetic sample is placed between \(\mathrm {G_1}\) and \(\mathrm {G_2}\) at a distance \(\mathrm { L_s}\) from the latter one and moved along the x-axis direction to perform a correlation length scan. The inter-grating distance in a symmetric setup are equal to L and all periods are same (p). In the sketch the spin-flip and non-spin-flip small-angle scattering events are highlighted symbolically.