On the use of a multilayer monochromator in neutron reflectometry

Abstract

In neutron reflectometry experiments, the intensity reflected from the sample under investigation is determined as a function of the wave-vector transfer. One way of doing this is to start with a monochromatic beam and perform the so-called θ/2 θ scans. The monochromatic beam can be produced by Bragg reflection from a single crystal, or from a multilayer system. In this paper, we experimentally investigate the performance of a multilayer monochromator. We demonstrate that the large-wavelength contamination, intrinsically present, may lead to large errors in the obtained reflectivity at large values of the wave-vector transfer.