Radio-frequency μSR experiments at the ISIS pulsed muon facility

Abstract

This paper explores the use of pulsed radio-frequency (RF) techniques to remove the frequency limitations imposed on conventional transverse muon spin rotation (μSR) experiments at a pulsed muon source by the finite muon pulse width. The implementation of the 90° pulse technique is demonstrated by observing the free precession signal of diamagnetic muons implanted in polythene, the change in signal amplitude as a function of RF pulse length is plotted and the precise condition for a 90° pulse determined. The technique is evaluated by comparing measurements made using conventional spin rotation experiments to those employing pulsed RF methods. The potential for applying standard NMR multiple-pulse methods to the μSR experiment is considered and the use of two-pulse RF sequences (90° x −τ−90° x and 90° x −τ−180° x ) to form a muon spin echo demonstrated.