NEUTRON REFLECTION INTERFEROMETRY - PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF SURFACE-ANALYSIS WITH PHASE INFORMATION

It is shown that the analysis of surface layers by neutron reflection interferometry is considerably enhanced by performing the reflectometr y with phase information. We discuss two methods of providing such inf ormation. One method involves physically adding an extra reference lay er, whose amplitude and phase are known theoretically. The other uses the Lloyd's mirror configuration, in which a directly propagating ray that interferes with the reflected Tay supplies the phase information. The methods have much in common with holography.