Polarization transfer in a spin-exchange optical-pumping experiment

Spin-Exchange optical pumping in a van

Fundamentals of Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping

The standard model of Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping of He has come under close scrutiny as researchers try to maximize the quantity and polarization of He. This paper will review four important effects that have come to light: 1) pumping with frequency narrowed diode lasers significantly improves the polarization and production rate as compared to off-theshelf broadband sources 2) Rb-K mixtures...

Hybrid spin-exchange optical pumping of 3He.

We demonstrate spin-exchange optical pumping of 3He using a "hybrid" K-Rb vapor mixture. The Rb atoms absorb light from a standard laser at 795 nm, then collisionally polarize the potassium atoms. Spin-exchange collisions of K and 3He atoms then transfer the angular momentum to the 3He with much greater efficiency than Rb-3He. For a K-rich vapor, the efficiency of the hybrid spin-exchange colli...

Temperature-Ramped 129Xe Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping

We describe temperature-ramped spin-exchange optical pumping (TR-SEOP) in an automated high-throughput batch-mode (129)Xe hyperpolarizer utilizing three key temperature regimes: (i) "hot"-where the (129)Xe hyperpolarization rate is maximal, (ii) "warm"-where the (129)Xe hyperpolarization approaches unity, and (iii) "cool"-where hyperpolarized (129)Xe gas is transferred into a Tedlar bag with lo...

Limits to the polarization for spin-exchange optical pumping of 3He.

Based on measurements of the temperature dependence of 3He relaxation in a wide range of spin-exchange optical pumping cells, we report evidence for a previously unrecognized surface relaxation process. The relaxation rate was found to be linearly proportional to the alkali-metal density with a slope that exceeds the spin-exchange rate, which limits the polarization for current applications, in...