Nuclear polarization in gaseous /sup 3/He by optical pumping

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5819799

Leduc, M; Crampton, S B; Nacher, P J; Laloee, F ^[1]

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1. Ecole Normale Superieure, 75 - Paris (France). Lab. de Spectroscopie Hertzienne

Optical pumping can provide significant nuclear polarizations in gaseous /sup 3/He. This method, developed by Colegrove, Schearer and Walters 20 years ago, can be applied to the realization of polarized targets for nuclear physics or neutron spin state filters. Moreover, highly polarized discharges in gaseous helium can be used as sources of polarized beams of atomic or molecular ions or electrons. Some progress has been made recently to obtain higher nuclear polarizations in gaseous /sup 3/He at a higher density. Laser optical pumping can produce polarizations over 60% or more in a gas at room temperature. This can be combined with a polarization transfer technique, in which a laser is used to pump /sup 3/He in a cell at room temperature, while another cell at a few degrees Kelvin is polarized by diffusion of the atoms through a long connecting tube. Cryogenic coatings, made of solid hydrogen frozen on the coldest parts of the inside wall of the container, reduce very effectively the fast nuclear relaxation which would occur on bare pyrex walls at low temperatures. Nuclear polarizations of the order of 50% have been obtained in a relatively dense gas (n approx. 10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/) at T

• OSTI ID: 5819799
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States), Vol. 2:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
HELIUM 3
NUCLEAR ALIGNMENT
OPTICAL PUMPING
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
GASES
LASER RADIATION
POLARIZED BEAMS
POLARIZED TARGETS
REVIEWS
SPIN ORIENTATION
ULTRALOW TEMPERATURE
BEAMS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUIDS
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
ORIENTATION
PUMPING
RADIATIONS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TARGETS
651100* - Nuclear Physics- Experimental Techniques- (1980-)