H↓ atomic beam source: A feasibility study

Abstract

The possible application of the stable atomic hydrogen (H↓) in intense polarized atom or ion beam sources is discussed. The proposed scheme is based on flipping the electron spin of stored atoms by microwaves; this results in the magnetic acceleration and focusing of the flipped atoms. The main advantages of such beams are: accumulation and pulsing with time structure convenient for injection into synchrotrons via Linac injectors; high density due to the slow velocity and high initial density; and monochromaticity which allows atomic beam transport with focusing elements having no large chromatic errors. The possible problems and limitations in such an extraction scheme are: depolarization and slow spin diffusion due to spin exchange collisions in the dense gas phase, and loss of density due to recombination of the flipped atoms on the walls, before reaching the extraction aperture and accelerating field gradient.The results of the first tests of our apparatus are presented. The apparatus, based on a powerful dilution refrigerator, is described briefly.