Helmut Rauch


Helmut Rauch was an Austrian physicist. He was especially known for his pioneering experiments on neutron interference.
Rauch studied Physics at Vienna University of Technology and worked at the there. He was also affiliated with the Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble.

Neutron interference experiments

In 1974, Rauch, together with Ulrich Bonse and Wolfgang Treimer, demonstrated the first matter wave interference of neutrons. This demonstrated the wave-like nature of neutrons for the first time and was another experimental proof that not only photons can be described by waves, but also massive particles. Further they demonstrated the fundamental symmetry of spin 1/2 particles under rotation.

Death

Rauch died on 2 September 2019, aged 80, following a short illness in Vienna.