An optically pumped spin-exchange polarized electron source

Munir Pirbhai

Wanted: a “push-button” polarized electron source

e

Desired characteristics: Operates with less stringent vacuum requirements. Less susceptible to contaminants.

Source

Target(bromocamphor)0 1000 2000 3000 4000

0

20

40

60

80

100

Curre

nt (

nA)

Time (s)

Example of an atomic physics “table-top” experiment: Electron circular dichroism

J. M. Dreiling, private communication.

An idea for producing polarized electrons

e Rb e Rb

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

1E-14

1E-13

Spin-exchange cross section

(cm 2)

Electron energy (eV)

P. S. Farago and H. Siegmann, Phys. Lett. 20, 279 (1966).R. Krisciokaitis-Krisst et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods 118, 157 (1974).H.Batelaan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 4216 (1999).C.Bahrim et al., Phys. Rev. A 63, 042710 (2001).

Working of the optically‐pumped spin‐exchange polarized electron source

Pump laser

Unpolarized electrons Rb atoms Polarized

electrons+ buffer gas

Minimizes diffusion

Mitigates radiation trapping

Thermalizes electrons

Increases electron effective path length

Role of buffer gas

H.Batelaan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 4216 (1999).

Schematic of apparatus

A) tungsten filament; B) collision cell; C) differential pumping chamber; D) retractable electron collector; E) electron polarimeter; F) optical polarimeter; G) Faraday cup

10cm

Optical layout

Pump laser(795nm)

M

MLPQWP

Probe laser

M

LPND

Photodiode

Apparatus

10cm

Source: collision cell/electron gun

Collision cell

Rb reservoir

Gas inletPressure gauge

Filament

Optical electron polarimeter

A) entrance; B) target-gas-feed capillary; C) mounting sleeve; D) optical polarimeter; E) chamber housing electron collector and viewport; F) main vacuum chamber; G) fluorescence collection lens; H) energy-defining cylinder

1 * 30

* 3

1 3

2 388.9

e He S He P e

He S h nm

T.J.Gay, J. Phys. B 16, L553 (1983).M.Pirbhai et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 053113 (2013).

Electron optical polarimeter

Earlier optical polarimeters ~ 10-10

This device with argon gas ~ 10-8

High efficiency Mott ~ 10-4

2/ ( )Figure of merit

photon counts e analyzing power

Experiments

Electron-spin reversal phenomenon

Different buffer gases

Dependence on incident electron energy

Electron-spin reversal

E.B.Norrgard, D.Tupa, J.M.Dreiling, T.J.Gay, Phys. Rev. A 82, 033408 (2010).

Experiment 1: Electronic spin reversal

87Rb 2→12→2

87Rb 1→11→285Rb

3→23→3

85Rb 2→22→3

+

F = 3

I = 5/2

S = 1/2

I

F

S

Experiment 1: Electronic spin reversal

87Rb 2→12→2

87Rb 1→11→285Rb

3→23→3

85Rb 2→22→3

+

F = 2

I = 5/2

S = 1/2

I

F

S

Experiment 1: electron-spin reversal

87Rb 2→12→2

87Rb 1→11→285Rb

3→23→3

85Rb 2→22→3

Experiment 1: two ways to reverse beam polarization

Optical helicity

Pump wavelength detuning

Different buffer gases: He H2

N2

C2H4

Ei~2eV

Ei~4eV

Experiment 2: performance with different buffer gases

Pe~24%; I~4μA

GaAs source onECD experiment

Experiment 2: characteristics of the different buffer gases

GasQuenching

cross-section (Å2)

Ethylene 139

Helium 1˂˂

Hydrogen 6

Nitrogen 58

2 2 4100

N C HThermalization time Thermalization time

W.Happer, Rev. Mod. Phys. 44, 169, (1972).J.M.Warman and M.C.Sauer, J. Chem. Phys. 62, 1971 (1975).

Energy dependence of Pe

Experiment 3: dependence of Pe on electron energy

Experiment 3: dependence of Pe on electron energy

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

1E-14

1E-13

Spin

-exc

hang

e cr

oss

sect

ion

(cm2)

Electron energy (eV)

Experiment 3: temporary negative ion formation

'2 2 20 0e N N e N

G.J.Schulz, Phys. Rev. 116, 1141 (1959).

Experiment 3: electronic excitation

A. Bogaerts, Spectrochim. Acta Part B 64, 129 (2009).

Experiment 3: ionization

2 271.2N i eV

N Q L

2 100

3N i eVN Q L

Y.Itikawa, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 35, 31 (2006).

Experiment 3: retarding field analysis

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18 50 eV 100 eV 500 eV

Diff

erent

ial

cro

ss

sect

ion

(1

0-18 c

m2/e

V)

Electron energy (eV)

C. B. Opal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 55, 4100 (1971).

No gasWith gas

Future improvements

Repump laser

Benzene as buffer gas

Higher buffer gas pressure

Rubidium dispensers

R.G.W.Norrish and W.MacF.Smith, Proc.Roy.Soc.London A176, 295 (1940).

Timothy J. Gay

Paul D. Burrow

Dale Tupa (LANL)

Eric T. Litaker

Jonah Knepper

Herman Batelaan

Praise the bridge that carried you over.— George Colman

Experiment 1: Rubidium D1 transitions

D1794.979 nm377.11 THz

(72%) (28%)

P. Siddons et al., J. Phys. B 41, 155004 (2008)