Shearing neutron interferometry and possibilities of studying interfacial diffusion processes between two highly dilute solutions

We deal with the adaptation of the classical shearing interferometry in neutron optics and suggest a shearing neutron interferometer device. A polarized monochromatic neutron plane wave-particle front is distorted in passing through a diffusion cell containing two liquids in accordance with the variation of the concentration in the solution. This distorted front is sheared into two coherent fronts. The related interference spectrum varies in time and the diffusion coefficient can be deduced. The proposed method would be convenient to measure diffusion coefficient for very low concentrations smaller than 10-3 g/cm3. ((orig.))