Can Neutrons Be Redirected Through Macroscopic Means?

[NERV]

I know there is no way to deflect a neutron by electromagnetic force since it is a uncharged particle.Can anyone come up with any other ways?Thanks very much.

 

[malawi_glenn]

Magnetic field perhaps? Neutrons have a (small) magnetic moment.

 

[vanesch]

For fast neutrons, there's not much hope. However, thermal or cold neutrons undergo optical effects (you can - up to a point - make mirrors and lenses for them).

Otherwise, yes, magnetic forces, but they'll be tiny effects on the trajectory.

 

[napaDokc]

i don't think magnetic field would do the trick.. afterall the magnetic moment of the neutron is very small.. but i like vanesch's idea of mirrors :) i don't know if it's been tested yet ;)

 

[malawi_glenn]

You have neutron mirrors in fission-bombs (a.k.a Atomic Bombs)

In what energy range are you interested in NERV?

 

[Meir Achuz]

Neutrons are scattered by electrons via a magnetic moment-moment interaction.
At high momentum transfer, the magnetic interaction is larger than the charge interaction,
so neutrons are scattered about as much as protons by EM interactions.
Neutrons are scattered by hadrons and nuclei via the strong interaction.

 

[vanesch]

i don't think magnetic field would do the trick.. afterall the magnetic moment of the neutron is very small.. but i like vanesch's idea of mirrors :) i don't know if it's been tested yet ;)

We use them all the time but only for thermal or cold ones. We have "optical fibres" that guide neutrons. We even have "fully reflective" mirrors, but that only works with ultracold (micro-electron volt) neutrons. This is a company that makes them, for instance (random googling) http://www.swissneutronics.ch/products/concept-supermirrors.html

 

[malawi_glenn]

Neutrons are scattered by electrons via a magnetic moment-moment interaction.
At high momentum transfer, the magnetic interaction is larger than the charge interaction,
so neutrons are scattered about as much as protons by EM interactions.
Neutrons are scattered by hadrons and nuclei via the strong interaction.

But that is a very local (microscopic)scattering. I think the OP is looking for a global (macroscopic) way to bend a neutron beam or similar. Otherwise it is just a 'random walk' - scattering which you use in 'ordinary' neutron detectors for instance.