Principles of neutron reflectometry

Torikai, Naoya*; Takeda, Masayasu  

Neutron reflectometry is a non-destructive structural analysis method utilizing optical property of neutron at interfaces between two media, and is indispensable for structural analysis on material interfaces due to high depth resolution of a sub-nm scale. The specular reflection of neutron at the interface can be described by the Shrdinger equation with the one-dimensional square well potential for a plane wave. Here, the principles of neutron reflectometry are explained using a typical few examples from a single ideal interface to a multi-layer system.