A spin reversal system for polarized epithermal neutrons

The design and construction of a spin-reversal system for longitudinally polarized epithermal neutrons are presented. The design uses a static magnetic field parallel to the momentum of the neutron. The longitudinal field changes the direction at its midpoint. A transverse magnetic field is turned off to control the spin direction at the end of the spin flipper. The neutron spin is reversed with respect to both the neutron momentum and the static longitudinal field at the exit of the spin flipper. In the transverse field-on state the spin adiabatically follows the field direction and the spin direction is reversed. In the transverse field-off state the spin passes rapidly through the region where the solenoidal field reverses the sign and the spin direction is not reversed. With this design, the spins of an 8-cm-diameter beam of longitudinally polarized neutrons can be reversed with an efficiency greater than 88% over a range of neutron energies of more than four orders of magnitude.