Optical pumping of ions in buffer gases

A method for polarizing thermal ions in buffer gases directly by optical pumping is presented in detail. The production and storage of Sr⁺ (and Ba⁺) ions in noble gases, their diffusion and relevant collision processes are discussed. An arc discharge hollow cathode for the generation of intense ionic resonance lines is described. The Sr⁺ (5² S _1/2) and electron spin polarizations are treated by rate equations. Fitting the solutions to experimental data obtained from transient signals yields an estimate of a few times 10³Å² for the Sr⁺ion-electron spin exchange cross section.