Measurements of epithermal neutron depolarization using a polarized rare earth target

We describe a facility for the production and analysis of the polarization of epithermal neutrons and show its application to the measurement of neutron depolarization in magnetic materials. The polarization of the neutrons is analyzed using the spin dependent transmission of neutrons at energies of compound nuclear resonances in a polarized rare earth target. The technique is applicable to the characterization of magnetic domains in thick samples or materials having large internal magnetizations. We illustrate the use of the technique in measuring the orientational dependence of depolarization in a single crystal of ferromagnetic holmium. ((orig.))