Accurate measurements on the nuclear-spin waves observed in the NMR spectrum of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen provide a quantitative test of theory. Results for temperatures between 160 and 537 mK and densities between 7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{15}$ and 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ display the expected magnitude and ${T}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1/2}$ divergence predicted for the spin-wave quality factor \ensuremath{\mu}. It is shown that spin waves persist at low enough densities (Knudsen regime) that elastic wall collisions are more probable than atom-atom exchange collisions. An anomalous increase in spin-wave widths at low temperatures is explained in terms of the enhanced effects of sticking collisions of the atoms with the walls.Accurate measurements on the nuclear-spin waves observed in the NMR spectrum of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen provide a quantitative test of theory. Results for temperatures between 160 and 537 mK and densities between 7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{15}$ and 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ display the expected magnitude and ${T}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1/2}$ divergence predicted for the spin-wave quality factor \ensuremath{\mu}. It is shown that spin waves persist at low enough densities (Knudsen regime) that elastic wall collisions are more probable than atom-atom exchange collisions. An anomalous increase in spin-wave widths at low temperatures is explained in terms of the enhanced effects of sticking collisions of the atoms with the walls.

Physical Review LettersOct 9, 198946 citations

Boundary effects and spin waves in spin-polarized quantum gases

A. E. Meyerovich, Sergey B. Stepaniants

Boundary conditions are derived for spin dynamics of spin-polarized quantum gases near nonmagnetic walls. We are interested mostly in boundary-induced line shifts and attenuation of spin waves, and in the possibility of having a macroscopic boundary condition for systems close to a Knudsen ballistic regime. We consider the effects caused by roughness of the wall and by surface adsorption. By a proper coordinate transformation, we reduce the problem of particle collisions with an inhomogeneous nonmagnetic wall to an equivalent problem with a specular homogeneous wall but with stochastic bulk imperfections. As a result, the boundary effects are described by some additional bulklike transverse spin-diffusion coefficient inversely proportional to the angular harmonics of the correlation function of surface inhomogeneities. This leads to an effective macroscopiclike boundary condition for transverse spin dynamics responsible for the boundary effects in spin-wave resonances. The situation changes drastically at low temperatures because of an appearance of an adsorbed boundary layer which renormalizes the molecular field near the wall, and leads to additional effective spin-exchange processes. The experimental implications for helium and hydrogen systems are discussed.Boundary conditions are derived for spin dynamics of spin-polarized quantum gases near nonmagnetic walls. We are interested mostly in boundary-induced line shifts and attenuation of spin waves, and in the possibility of having a macroscopic boundary condition for systems close to a Knudsen ballistic regime. We consider the effects caused by roughness of the wall and by surface adsorption. By a proper coordinate transformation, we reduce the problem of particle collisions with an inhomogeneous nonmagnetic wall to an equivalent problem with a specular homogeneous wall but with stochastic bulk imperfections. As a result, the boundary effects are described by some additional bulklike transverse spin-diffusion coefficient inversely proportional to the angular harmonics of the correlation function of surface inhomogeneities. This leads to an effective macroscopiclike boundary condition for transverse spin dynamics responsible for the boundary effects in spin-wave resonances. The situation changes drastically at low temperatures because of an appearance of an adsorbed boundary layer which renormalizes the molecular field near the wall, and leads to additional effective spin-exchange processes. The experimental implications for helium and hydrogen systems are discussed.

Physical review. B, Condensed matterFeb 1, 19943 citations

{10}^{15}

and 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}

{10}^{16}

${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ display the expected magnitude and ${T}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1/2}$ divergence predicted for the spin-wave quality factor \ensuremath{\mu}. It is shown that spin waves persist at low enough densities (Knudsen regime) that elastic wall collisions are more probable than atom-atom exchange collisions. An anomalous increase in spin-wave widths at low temperatures is explained in terms of the enhanced effects of sticking collisions of the atoms with the walls.