Spin-destruction collision explained
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 |
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| K | 1 × 10−18 cm2[2] | | 8 × 10−25 cm2 | | | | |
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| Rb | 9 × 10−18 cm2[3] | | 9 × 10−24 cm2 | | 5.2 × 10−23 cm2[4] | | 1 × 10−22 cm2[5] |
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| Cs | 2 × 10−16 cm2[6] | | 3 × 10−23 cm2[7] | | | | 6 × 10−22 cm2 |
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Notes and References
- Allred, J. C., Lyman, R. N., Kornack, T. W., Romalis, M. V. . 2002 . High-Sensitivity Atomic Magnetometer Unaffected by Spin-Exchange Relaxation . . 89 . 130801 . 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.130801. 12225013. 13. 2002PhRvL..89m0801A.
- 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 . . 460 . 444–450 . 10.1016/S0168-9002(00)01061-5 . 2–3. 2001NIMPA.460..444V .
- A. Ben-Amar Baranga . S. Appelt . M. V. Romalis . C. J. Erickson . A. R. Young . G. D. Cates . W. Happer . amp . 1998 . Faraday rotation density measurements of optically thick alkali metal vapors . . 80 . 13 . 2801–2804 . 10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.2801 . 1998PhRvL..80.2801B.
- W. Franzen . 1959 . Spin Relaxation of Optically Aligned Rubidium Vapor . . 115 . 4 . 850–856 . 10.1103/PhysRev.115.850. 1959PhRv..115..850F .
- M. E. Wagshul . T. E. Chupp . amp . 1994 . Laser optical pumping of high-density Rb in polarized 3He targets . . 49 . 3854–3869 . 10.1103/PhysRevA.49.3854. 1994PhRvA..49.3854W . 5 . 9910682 .
- N. D. Bhaskar . J. Pietras . J. Camparo . W. Happer . J. Liran . amp . 1980 . Spin Destruction in Collisions between Cesium Atoms . . 44 . 930–933 . 10.1103/PhysRevLett.44.930. 1980PhRvL..44..930B . 14.
- N. Beverini . P. Minguzzi . F. Strumia . amp . 1971 . Foreign-Gas-Induced Cesium Hyperfine Relaxation . . 4 . 550–555 . 10.1103/PhysRevA.4.550. 1971PhRvA...4..550B . 2 .
