Optically Pumped Direct Extraction Electron Spin Filter System and Method of Use

Authors

Hermanus Batelaan, Lincoln, NE
Benjamin B. Birdsey, Lincoln, NE
Timothy J. Gay, Lincoln, NEFollow
Brooks A. Hitt, Lincoln, NE

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2003

Citation

Patent No.: US 6,590,923 B1

Comments

Appl. No.: 09/347,674

Abstract

Disclosed are a System, and method, for producing a directly extracted flow of preferred-spin-polarization-direction electrons. The present invention optically pumped electron Spin filter System provides a mixture of, typically alkali, atoms and electron polarization direction enhancing buffer gas, to a, preferably, Single chamber essentially enclosed Space, into which essentially enclosed space is entered a predominately single handedness, preferably laser System produced, beam of photons which optically pumps electrons in atoms to a dark-ground State with a preferred-spin-polarization, that is maintained in the presence of an imposed magnetic field, which magnetic field is oriented essentially co-linear with said beam of predominately single polarized photons. Con-currently electrons are, by practice of the method of the present invention, generated in the essentially enclosed space by a buffer gas mediated electric discharge, and are caused to be in a preferred-spin-polarization-direction via pumped dark-ground State atom-electron collision mediated exchange mechanism(s), prior to being directly extracted.