Laser optical pumping of high-density Rb in polarized [sup 3]He targets

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physical Review A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.49.3854· OSTI ID:5008765

Wagshul, M E ^[1]; Chupp, T E ^[2]

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1. Harvard University, Physics Department, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)
2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)

We have investigated high-density Rb optical pumping in polarized [sup 3]He targets and present measurements of collisional relaxation rates and studies of diffusion-driven wall relaxation of the Rb polarization. We show that a boundary layer resides in the vicinity of the cell walls within which a polarization gradient is established by diffusion. Absorption of the incident laser radiation within this layer leads to a striking decrease in optical-pumping efficiency for resonant light but has little effect for off-resonant light. Our theory introduces polarization-dependent slowing of optical pumping rates due to the Rb nuclear spin. We have observed a strong frequency dependence of the optical-pumping efficiency, consistent with our theoretical predictions. We report the following rate constants for collisional relaxation of Rb polarization: due to Rb ([ital k][sub Rb-Rb]=8[times]10[sup [minus]13] cm[sup 3]/s), due to N[sub 2] ([ital k][sub N2-]Rb=8[times]10[sup [minus]18] cm[sup 3]/s), and due to [sup 3]He, an upper limit of ([ital k][sup 3]He-Rb[le]2[times]10[sup [minus]18] cm[sup 3]/s). The data and model presented are used to predict laser power and intensity requirements for high-density polarized [sup 3]He targets.

• OSTI ID: 5008765
• Journal Information: Physical Review A; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review A; (United States) Vol. 49:5; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

664200* -- Spectra of Atoms & Molecules & their Interactions with Photons-- (1992-)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALKALI METALS
ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
BUFFERS
COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENCAPSULATION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HELIUM 3
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LASERS
LAYERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIZATION
METALS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
OPTICAL PUMPING
ORIENTATION
POLARIZED TARGETS
PUMPING
RELAXATION
RUBIDIUM
SPIN EXCHANGE
SPIN ORIENTATION
STABLE ISOTOPES
TARGETS
WALL EFFECTS