Photoproduction of Spin-Polarized Hydrogen Atoms and Electrons in Mixtures of Cesium Vapor and Hydrogen Gas

First observations of the photogeneration of spin-polarized hydrogen atoms and electrons are reported. A mixture of cesium vapor and helium and hydrogen buffer gases is optically pumped with a circularly polarized tunable—dye-laser beam (4593 Å). The paramagnetic species (H atoms, $e^{-}$) generated by the laser-induced processes are detected with use of spin-exchange-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy.