title: Slow spin relaxation of Rb atoms confined in glass cells filled with dense 4He gas at 1.85 K
abstract: At temperatures below 2.1 K, long-lived gaseous Rb atoms in glass cells have been generated with a simple method: irradiating the cells, containing 4He gas and Rb metal, with a cw laser. The obtained atomic Rb density ( approximately 10(8) cm(-3)) decreases with a 1/e time constant of about 10 s at 1.85 K. We have performed optical pumping of the Rb atoms and measured the longitudinal electronic spin relaxation time at 1.85 K as well. For processes (such as Rb-He collisions) which do not remove the atomic Rb from the vapor, this relaxation time is found to be about 60+/-15 s.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hatakeyama
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oe
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yabuzaki
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Young