LASER PRODUCTION OF LARGE NUCLEAR-SPIN POLARIZATION IN FROZEN XENON

The nuclei of gaseous 129 Xe atoms are polarized by spin exchange with optically pumped Rb vapor. The Xe gas is subsequently frozen. The nuclear polarizations of up to 25% are largely unaffected by freezing. The spin-lattice relaxation time T 1 was measured as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and isotopic composition. At 77 K and 1800 G, T 1 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 wid variety of new experiments