Nuclear spin polarization produced by ion-beam-surface-interaction, its optical detection and use in an atomic quantum-beat experiment

Abstract

It is shown that nuclear spin polarized ion beams can be generated by ion beam surface interaction at grazing incidence. An optical detection method for the nuclear polarization after foil excitation of such beams is described and used for a hyperfine structure quantum-beat measurement on the14N II −2p 3p3D-state.