Neutron Depolarization in Submicron Ferromagnetic Materials

The neutron depolarization technique is based on the loss of polarization of a polarized neutron beamafter transmission through ferromagnetic substances. This loss, caused by Larmor precession inindividual domains, determines the mean domain size, the mean square direction cosines of thedomains and the mean magnetization. The method is complementary to the neutron scatteringtechnique with respect to the size of the inhomogeneities to be determined and the dynamic rangeaccessible. Only the static applications of the method in studying domain structures are considered.As examples will be treated metal foils under stress, oriented ferroxdur permanent magnets, softferrites, recording tapes and thin films. In most of these examples magnetic correlations betweenneighbouring domains are subject of study.