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Physical Review A

High-density production of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen and deuterium

Matt Poelker, K. P. Coulter, Roy J. Holt, Catherine Jones, Robert Kowalczyk, Linda Young, B. Zeidman, Dmitri K. Toporkov

Published Sep 1, 1994• 20 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The electron polarization of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) atoms in a spin-exchange optical-pumping apparatus has been measured as a function of H (D) density and magnetic-field strength. The atomic density was varied between 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{13}$ and 2.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{14}$ atoms/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ and the magnetic-field strength from 120 to 400 mT. The results suggest that the atoms approach spin-temperature equilibrium even though the magnetic fields are large compared to the critical fields of the atoms.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.50.2450

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AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 1993•1 citation
The electron polarization of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) atoms in a spin-exchange optical-pumping apparatus has been measured as a function of H (D) density and magnetic-field strength. The atomic density was varied between 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1013{10}^{13}1013 and 2.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1014{10}^{14}1014 atoms/cm3{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}cm3 and the magnetic-field strength from 120 to 400 mT. The results suggest that the atoms approach spin-temperature equilibrium even though the magnetic fields are large compared to the critical fields of the atoms.
Optically pumped spin-exchange sources for polarized hydrogen and deuterium atoms have been demonstrated to yield high atomic flow and high electron spin polarization. For maximum nuclear polarization the source has to be operated in spin temperature equilibrium, which has already been demonstrated for hydrogen. In spin temperature equilibrium the nuclear spin polarization PI equals the electron spin polarization PS for hydrogen and is even larger than PS for deuterium. We discuss the general properties of spin temperature equilibrium for a sample of deuterium atoms. One result are the equations PI=4PS/(3+PS2) and Pzz=PS⋅PI, where Pzz is the nuclear tensor polarization. Furthermore we demonstrate that the deuterium atoms from our source are in spin temperature equilibrium within the experimental accuracy.
Recent progress in the performance of laser-driven source of polarized deuterium is described. Optical pumping of potassium atoms followed by spin exchange scattering with deuterium atoms in a high magnetic field and RF transitions in a medium field was found to produce an intense, highly spin-polarized beam of deuterium atoms. In particular, the atomic polarization of deuterium was determined to be 73{plus_minus}3% at an intensity of 2.1 {times} 10{sup 17} Atomsis. The RF transition efficiency was measured and found to be 92{plus_minus}5%.
Optical pumping of potassium atoms followed by spin-exchange scattering with deuterium atoms in a high magnetic field was found to produce an intense, highly spin-polarized beam of atomic deuterium. In particular, the atomic polarization of deuterium was determined to be (73\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3)% at an intensity of 2.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1017{10}^{17}1017 atoms/s.
We have produced highly spin-polarized atomic hydrogen by spin-exchange optical pumping. A tunable ring dye laser is used to polarize rubidium atoms by optical pumping. The cell containing the rubidium vapor is coated with paraffin in order to reduce spin relaxation due to wall collisions. Hydrogen gas is dissociated in an inductive discharge and flows continuously through the cell, in which the hydrogen atoms are polarized by spin-exchange collisions with the polarized rubidium atoms. Atomic-hydrogen polarization as high as 2〈Jz{\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}Jz​〉H{\mathrm{〉}}_{\mathrm{H}}〉H​=0.72(6) has been observed, which is the highest polarization yet produced by this method. However, the rubidium polarization may be limited to this value due to radiation trapping at higher rubidium densities. The spin-relaxation rate of atomic hydrogen on a paraffin-coated cell is also measured and corresponds to about 7600 wall bounces between wall relaxation.
The magnetic equation of state of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen is reported, relating density to magnetic field ($B\ensuremath{\lesssim}10.5$ T), temperature ($T\ensuremath{\gtrsim}300$ mK), and atomic flux used to fill the sample cell. Densities greater than 1016{10}^{16}1016 atoms/cm3{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}cm3, more than two orders of magnitude greater than initial observations, have been achieved. Results are also presented on the buildup and decay of the density as a function of external conditions. Preliminary observations on the Fermi fluid, atomic deuterium, are reported.
Recent results from a laser‐driven source of polarized hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) are presented. The performance of the source is described as a function of atomic flow rate and magnetic field. The data suggest that because atomic densities in the source are high, the system can approach spin‐temperature equilibrium although applied magnetic fields are much larger than the critical field of the atoms. We also observe the potassium contamination in the source emittance can be reduced to a negligible amount using a teflon‐lined transport tube.