The use of small angle neutron scattering data to support dark field data analysis in far-field interferometry*

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a useful measurement for probing bulk structure on the order of 1 nm to 10 μm in soft matter ranging from biological materials and colloids to polymer films and more.  One limitation is that it provides a sample-averaged view of the structure, making the study of heterogeneous materials difficult with SANS alone. However, a new type of grating-based far field interferometer currently under development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will enable the collection of spatially resolved (~100 μm) structural information on the same length scales as SANS. The dark field intensity collected with this technique includes the relevant structural information and is related to SANS through a Hankel transform, and so in this talk, we will discuss how our knowledge of structural systems in the SANS (Fourier) space can be used to better understand how these features present in the dark field (correlation) space. This is not only useful for experimental planning and understanding the use cases and limitations of this technique, but will also aid development of the high-throughput data handling methods (~TB/day) required for this instrument.