ENERGY AND ORIENTATION DEPENDENCE OF NEUTRON DEPOLARIZATION IN A LARGE SINGLE-CRYSTAL OF FERROMAGNETIC HOLMIUM

We report measurements of the depolarization of epithermal neutrons (1 .7-59 eV) in magnetic domains of a 2.0-cm-diam cylindrical single crys tal of ferromagnetic holmium. The neutrons were polarized by a dynamic ally polarized proton target and polarization analyzed using a statica lly polarized rare-earth spin filter. Based on the dependence of the d epolarization on neutron energy and crystal orientation, we determined the domains to be laminar, or needlelike, with the long axis slightly deflected from the c crystalline axis and having an average width of 59 mu m. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.