A polarized target for the CLAS detector

We describe the design, construction, and performance of a polarized solid target for use in electron scattering experiments with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer. Protons and deuterons are continuously polarized by microwave-induced spin-flip transitions at 1 K and 5 T. The target operated successfully during two cycles in 1998 and 2000, providing proton and deuteron polarizations as high as 96% and 46%, respectively. The unique features of the target which permit its use inside a 4π spectrometer are stressed. Comparison is made between the target polarization measured by the traditional method of NMR and by electron elastic scattering