In-beam nuclear polarization by ion beam-surface interaction

Abstract

Recently, a set-up to polarize nuclei ‘in flight’ has been developed at the LISOL isotope separator in Louvain-la-Neuve. It is constructed in such a way that two complementary methods can be used: Tilted Foil (TF) and Ion Beam Surface Interaction at Grazing Incidence (IBSIGI). Both methods rely on an atomic polarization transfer to the nucleus, via hyperfine interaction. The atomic polarization is obtained by an anisotropic ion beam-surface interaction. This development completes the already existing Low Temperature Nuclear Orientation set-up and expands considerably the possibilities to polarize short lived nuclei. In a first run atomic polarizations of 50 keV 14N-beams were observed. Values up to 10% were obtained.