Storage of multiple cold neutron pulses with perfect crystals

New measurements with the cold neutron storage apparatus VESTA are reported which are based on confining neutrons between two perfect single-crystal plates by means of subsequent Bragg reflections. An important issue is the coupling of the incoming beam to the neutron storage cavity by altering the transmission probability through the perfect crystal plates. Two methods based on magnetic field gating are described. The new experiments on VESTA deal mainly with the simultaneous storage of multiple neutron pulses. Theoretical predictions related to the storage process have been verified and the possibility of neutron beam manipulation demonstrated. Simultaneous storage of up to 6 neutron pulses is reported which leads to a new conceptual quality in neutron storage experiments. Multiple neutron pulse storage will be of specific interest for measurements with longer storage periods owing to the related intensity enhancement. Several further development steps will be discussed.