Laser driven source of spin polarized atomic deuterium and hydrogen

Optical pumping of potassium atoms in the presence of a high magnetic field followed by spin exchange collisions with deuterium (hydrogen) is shown to yield a high flux of spin polarized atomic deuterium (hydrogen). The performance of the laser driven source has been characterized as a function of deuterium (hydrogen) flow rate, potassium density, pump laser power, and magnetic field. Under appropriate conditions, the authors have observed deuterium atomic polarization as high as 75% at a flow rate 4.2x1017 atoms/second. Preliminary results suggest that high nuclear polarizations are obtained in the absence of weak field rf transitions as a result of a spin temperature distribution that evolves through frequent H-H (D-D) collisions