Optical Pumping of Dense Charge-Exchange Targets for Polarized Ion Sources

Optical pumping by a single-frequency cw ring dye laser of thick sodium vapor targets ($\mathrm{NL}>\mathrm{}{10}^{13}$ atoms/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$) without buffer gas has been investigated for application in a polarized ion source. The atomic polarization of the sodium was determined from the optical rotation of a second dye laser tuned midway between the $D$ lines. Rate-equation calculations reproduce the experimental data and predict very high polarizations ($P>~0.8$) with the use of one or more single-frequency dye lasers in thick alkali-metal vapor targets.