(3) He Spin Filter for Neutrons.
The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarized (3)He opens up the possibility of polarizing neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. This paper gives a report on the neutron spin filter (NSF) development program at Mainz. The polarization technique is based on direct optical pumping of metastable (3)He atoms combined with a polarization preserving mechanical compression of the gas up to a pressure of several bar, necessary to run a NSF. The concept of a remote type of operation using detachable NSF cells is presented which requires long nuclear spin relaxation times of order 100 hours. A short survey of their use under experimental conditions, e.g. large solid-angle polarization analysis, is given. In neutron particle physics NSFs are used in precision measurements to test fundamental symmetry concepts.
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
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M
Batz
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
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S
Baeßler
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
W
W
Heil
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
E W
EW
Otten
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
D
D
Rudersdorf
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
J
J
Schmiedeskamp
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
Y
Y
Sobolev
Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
M
M
Wolf
3He polarizer and compressor; neutron spin filter; optical pumping; parity violation; polarization analysis; polarized neutrons; relaxation