Three Phase-Grating Moiré Neutron Interferometer for Large Interferometer Area Applications

We demonstrate a three phase-grating neutron interferometeras a robust candidate for large area interferometryapplications and characterization of materials. This novel far-field moire technique allows for broad wavelength acceptance and relaxed requirements related to fabrication and alignment, circumventing the main obstacles associated with perfect crystalneutron interferometry. Interference fringes were observed with a total interferometer length of four meters, and the effects of an aluminum 6061 alloy sample on the coherence of the system was examined. Experiments to measure the autocorrelation length of samples and the universal gravitational constantare proposed and discussed.