OBSERVATION OF THE ZEEMAN SPLITTING FOR NEUTRONS REFLECTED BY MAGNETIC LAYERS

The Zeeman splitting was measured for neutrons spccularly reflected fr om a magnetic layer in a particular geometry. The neutron spins were q uantized along an external magnetic field H, and the reflecting layer was magnetized in a different direction, causing some of the reflected neutrons to flip spin. The laws of conservation of energy and momentu m for the spin-flipped neutrons impose the condition theta(f)(2) = the ta(i)(2) +/- 1.47 x 10(-7)H lambda(2), where theta(i), theta(f), are, respectively, the incident and reflected angles in radians, H is expre ssed in kOe and lambda (the neutron wavelength) in A. Spin-flipped neu trons are reflected at an angle significantly different from the angle of incidence even in fields of a few kOe, although the Zeeman splitti ng energy amounts to less than 10(-7) eV.