LASER PRODUCTION OF LARGE NUCLEAR-SPIN POLARIZATION IN FROZEN XENON

The nuclei of gaseous Xe129 atoms are polarized by spin exchange with optically pumped Rb vapor. The Xe gas is subsequently frozen. The nuclear polraizations of up to 25% are largely unaffected by freezing. The spin-lattice relaxation time T1 was measured as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and isotopic composition. At 77 K and 1800 G, T1 is limited to about 3 h by a new relaxation mechanism. The potential for accumulating large samples with even higher polarizations makes laser-polarized Xe ice promising for a wide variety of new experiments. © 1990 The American Physical Society.