Polarization of the nuclear spins of noble-gas atoms by spin exchange with optically pumped alkali-metal atoms
Abstract
The theory of spin exchange between optically pumped alkali-metal atoms and noble-gas nuclei is presented. Spin exchange with heavy noble gases is dominated by interactions in long-lived van der Waals molecules. The main spin interactions are assumed to be the spin-rotation interactions γN-->.S--> between the rotational angular momentum N--> of the alkali-metal-noble-gas pair and the electron spin S--> of the alkali-metal atom, and the contact hyperfine interaction αK-->.S--> between the nuclear spin K--> of the noble-gas atom and the electron spin S-->. Arbitrary values for K and for the nuclear spin I of the alkali-metal atom are assumed. Precise formal expressions for spin transfer coefficients are given along with convenient approximations based on a perturbation expansion in powers of (αγN)2, a quantity which has been shown to be small by experiment.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- June 1984
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.29.3092
- Bibcode:
- 1984PhRvA..29.3092H