Spin interaction of nonrelativistic neutrons with an ultrashort laser pulse

Abstract

The nonrelativistic Pauli equation is used to study the interaction of slow neutrons with an ultrashort laser pulse. In the extreme limit, the pulse is acting on the magnetic moment of the neutron only at one instant of time. We obtain the scattering amplitude by deriving the junction conditions for the Pauli wave function across the pulse. Explicit expressions are given for a beam of polarized plane wave neutrons subjected to a pulse of spatially constant magnetic field strength. Finally we provide crude numerical estimates for pulses with the highest intensity available today.