Spin-destruction collision

In atomic physics, a spin-destruction (or spin-disorientation) collision is a physical impact where the spin angular momentum of an atom is irretrievably scrambled.

This type of collision can be a significant spin relaxation mechanism for polarized alkali metal vapor. In particular, the relaxation rate of alkali metal atoms in SERF atomic magnetometers is dominated by spin-destruction collisions.

Spin-destruction cross sections[1]
σsd,self σsd,He σsd,Ne σsd,N2
K 1 × 10−18 cm2[2] 8 × 10−25 cm2[3]
Rb 9 × 10−18 cm2[3] 9 × 10−24 cm2[3] 5.2 × 10−23 cm2[4] 1 × 10−22 cm2[5]
Cs 2 × 10−16 cm2[6] 3 × 10−23 cm2[7] 6 × 10−22 cm2[7]

References

  1. ↑ Allred, J. C., Lyman, R. N., Kornack, T. W., Romalis, M. V. (2002). "High-Sensitivity Atomic Magnetometer Unaffected by Spin-Exchange Relaxation". Physical Review Letters 89 (13): 130801. Bibcode:2002PhRvL..89m0801A. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.130801. PMID 12225013.
  2. ↑ E. Vliegen, S. Kadlecek, L. W. Anderson, T. G. Walker, C. J. Erickson and W. Happer (2001). "Faraday rotation density measurements of optically thick alkali metal vapors". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 460 (2–3): 444–450. Bibcode:2001NIMPA.460..444V. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(00)01061-5.
  3. 1 2 3 A. Ben-Amar Baranga, S. Appelt, M. V. Romalis, C. J. Erickson, A. R. Young, G. D. Cates, and W. Happer (1998). "Faraday rotation density measurements of optically thick alkali metal vapors". Physical Review Letters 80 (13): 2801–2804. Bibcode:1998PhRvL..80.2801B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.2801.
  4. ↑ W. Franzen (1959). "Spin Relaxation of Optically Aligned Rubidium Vapor". Physical Review 115 (4): 850–856. Bibcode:1959PhRv..115..850F. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.115.850.
  5. ↑ M. E. Wagshul and T. E. Chupp (1994). "Laser optical pumping of high-density Rb in polarized 3He targets". Physical Review A 49 (5): 3854–3869. Bibcode:1994PhRvA..49.3854W. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.49.3854.
  6. ↑ N. D. Bhaskar, J. Pietras, J. Camparo, W. Happer, and J. Liran (1980). "Spin Destruction in Collisions between Cesium Atoms". Physical Review Letters 44 (14): 930–933. Bibcode:1980PhRvL..44..930B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.44.930.
  7. 1 2 N. Beverini, P. Minguzzi, and F. Strumia (1971). "Foreign-Gas-Induced Cesium Hyperfine Relaxation". Physical Review A 4 (2): 550–555. Bibcode:1971PhRvA...4..550B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.4.550.


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