Boosting Deuteron Polarization in HD Targets: Experience of Moving Spins Between H and D with RF Methods During the E06-101 Experiment at Jefferson Lab

摘要

Solid HDice targets are polarized by bringing the HD crystal to thermal equilibrium at low temperature and high magnetic field, typically 10-20 mK and 15 Tesla, at Jefferson Lab. In this regime, due to its smaller magnetic moment, the resulting polarization for D is always at least three times smaller than for H. The controlled amount of polarizing catalysts, o-H2 and p-D2, used in the process of reaching a frozen-spin state, further limit the maximum achievable D polarization. Nonetheless, H and D polarizations can be transferred from one to the other by connecting the H and D sub-states of the HD system with RF. In a large target, the RF power needed for such transitions is effectively limited by non-uniformities in the RF field. High efficiency transfers can require substantial RF power levels, and a tuned-RF circuit is needed to prevent large temperature excursions of the holding cryostat. In this paper, we compare the advantages and limitations of two different RF transfer methods to increase D polarization, Forbidden Adiabatic and Saturated Forbidden RF Transitions. The experience with the HD targets used during the recently completed E06-101 experiment in Hall-B of Jefferson Lab is discussed.