Optical Pumping System Design for Large Production of Hyperpolarized {sup 129}Xe
- Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824 (United States)
We present a design for a spin-exchange optical pumping system to produce large quantities of highly polarized {sup 129}Xe. Low xenon concentrations in the flowing gas mixture allow the laser to maintain high Rb polarization. The large spin-exchange rate between Rb and {sup 129}Xe through the long-lived van der Waals molecules at low pressure, combined with a high flow rate, results in large production rates of hyperpolarized xenon. We report a maximum polarization of 64% achieved for a 0.3 l/h Xe flow rate, and maximum magnetization output of 6 l/h at 22% polarization. Our findings regarding the polarization dependence on temperature, nitrogen partial pressure, and gas mixture flow velocity are also reported.
- OSTI ID:
- 20778590
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.053002; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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