Improved source of polarized electrons based on a flowing helium afterglow

Abstract

The performance of the Rice source of spin polarized electrons, which is based on an optically pumped flowing helium afterglow, has been substantially improved. He(23S) metastable atoms contained in the afterglow are optically pumped using 1.08 μm 23S1↔23P1 radiation from an LNA laser. Spin conservation in subsequent chemi-ionization reactions with CO2 results in the production of free polarized electrons that are extracted from the afterglow. At low currents, ≲1 μA, polarizations of 80%–90% are achieved. This decreases to ∼75% at 10 μA and to ∼50% near 100 μA. The polarization can be simply reversed (P→−P). The energy spread in the extracted beam is <0.4 eV, and the beam emittance is <4 mrad cm−1 at 270 eV. This source is suitable for use in a wide variety of applications, and is particularly attractive for use with the new generation of high-duty factor electron accelerators that are currently being developed.