Optical Pumping of Neon Metastable (P23) Atoms

Optical pumping of neon metastable atoms in a helium-neon discharge has been accomplished in a manner similar to that for helium. Metastable neon has a $P$ configuration and was expected to have a large spin-disorientation cross section; however, the depolarization cross section is less than 5.4 × ${10}^{-17\mathrm{}}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The measured $g$ factor is $g_J=1.50152\mathrm{}\pm 0.00064$.