US3723741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for effecting nuclear polarization of a beam of atoms
Assignee: United States Atomic Energy Commission
•
Filing: 1971-09-01
•
Granted: 1973-03-27
•
Expires: 1991-09-01
Abstract
Abstract A beam of atoms is passed through a magnetically saturated monocrystalline material to effect a charge-transfer reaction between the material and the atomic beam. The atomic beam is then sequentially passed through a first strong magnetic field region shaped decreasing from maximum field to zero field, a zero magnetic field region, and a second strong magnetic field region opposite in polarity to the first strong magnetic field region and shaped from zero field to maximum field to effect nuclear polarization of said atomic beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Ehrenstein D Von
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:20
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21K; G21K1/00; G21K1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
A method for effecting nuclear polarization of a beam of atoms comprising magnetically saturating a monocrystalline material; generating a partial vacuum; transmitting in said partial vacuum said atomic beam through said material in a direction parallel to a lattice channel in said material and normal to the direction of said magnetic saturation to effect a charge-transfer reaction therewith and produce electron polarization of said atoms; generating a shaped magnetic field including a first strong-magnetic-field region decreasing from maximum magnetic field to essentially zero magnetic field, a second essentially zero-magnetic-field region, and a third strong-magnetic-field region opposite in polarity to said first region and increasing from essentially zero magnetic field to maximum magnetic field; and transmitting in said partial vacuum said electron-polarized beam of atoms through said shaped magnetic field sequentially through the said three regions thereof to effect nuclear polarization of said atoms in said beam, said first and third strong-magnetic-field regions having a value to decouple the nuclear spin of the atoms in said beam from the total angular momentum of the electron shell thereof and a gradient to effect adiabatic transition of said atoms in said beam, said second essentially zero-magnetic-field region having a length relative to the energy of the atoms in said beam and a gradient to effect said adiabatic transitions thereof while maintaining the spatial spin orientation of said atoms during magnetic field polarity reversal between said strong magnetic fields of said first and third field regions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
242 words
A method for effecting nuclear polarization of a beam of atoms comprising magnetically saturating a monocrystalline material; generating a partial vacuum; transmitting in said partial vacuum said atomic beam through said material in a direction parallel to a lattice channel in said material and normal to the direction of said magnetic saturation to effect a charge-transfer reaction therewith and produce electron polarization of said atoms; generating a shaped magnetic field including a first strong-magnetic-field region decreasing from maximum magnetic field to essentially zero magnetic field, a second essentially zero-magnetic-field region, and a third strong-magnetic-field region opposite in polarity to said first region and increasing from essentially zero magnetic field to maximum magnetic field; and transmitting in said partial vacuum said electron-polarized beam of atoms through said shaped magnetic field sequentially through the said three regions thereof to effect nuclear polarization of said atoms in said beam, said first and third strong-magnetic-field regions having a value to decouple the nuclear spin of the atoms in said beam from the total angular momentum of the electron shell thereof and a gradient to effect adiabatic transition of said atoms in said beam, said second essentially zero-magnetic-field region having a length relative to the energy of the atoms in said beam and a gradient to effect said adiabatic transitions thereof while maintaining the spatial spin orientation of said atoms during magnetic field polarity reversal between said strong magnetic fields of said first and third field regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said atoms are hydrogen or helium-3 atoms, said first and third magnetic-field regions have a maximum absolute value of approximately 1,000 gauss and a gradient of 5 gauss/centimeter, and said second magnetic-field region has a maGnetic field interposed of said first and third field regions having a gradient of 0.5 gauss/centimeter over a length of approximately 1 meter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said atoms are deuterium or lithium-6 atoms, said first and third magnetic-field regions have a maximum absolute value of approximately 200 gauss and a gradient of 5 gauss/centimeter, and said second magnetic-field region has a magnetic field interposed of said first and third field regions having a length of approximately 1 meter and a gradient of 0.5 gauss/centimeter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3569705A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-26 | 1976-09-25 | 1977-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-26 | 1980-09-25 | 1981-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-26 | 1984-09-25 | 1985-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |