Larmor clock and measuring of neutron interaction time with quantum objects

Experimental activity in the field of neutron spin precession optics was st arted some years ago by the Achiva et al. In 1999 we demonstrated the uniqu e possibility of the IN15 spin-echo instrument of ILL for such kind of inve stigations. In the present paper we shall report some new results. Larmor p recession of neutron spin was used as a clock for the measurement of the de lay in neutron time of flight, caused by the difference in neutron velociti es in vacuum and in matter. Coherence length density was measured for a num ber of materials with an accuracy of some percent. It was found that diamag netic properties of materials may affect the results remarkably. The giant anisotropic diamagnetic acceptability was found for the pyrolytic graphite. The achieved accuracy in the delay time, (3-5) x 10(-10) s, permits us to perform a number of new experiments for the measurement of neutron interact ion time with different quantum objects. (C) 2001 published by Elsevier Sci ence B.V.