A polarizing neutron periscope for neutron imaging

Optical neutron polarizers like guides or benders destroy the collimation of a neutron beam due to multiple reflections or scattering. This makes them unsuitable for their use in polarized neutron radiography, because the beam collimation is essential to obtain high spatial resolution. We have developed a neutron polarizer based on the principle of an optical periscope with a zigzag double reflection on two parallel high-m supermirror polarizers. If the supermirrors are perfectly parallel and flat, the beam collimation is left unchanged by such a device. A first proof of concept version of this type of polarizer was built and tested. We expect to achieve a beam polarization of up to 99% with an improved version yet to be built.