Spin exchange polarization and measurement of the hyperfine splitting of short-lived8Li

Free⁸Li (T _1/2=0.84 sec) atoms were polarized by spin exchange with optically pumped rubidium vapour. The⁸Li nuclei were produced by the reaction⁷Li(d, p)⁸Li in a thin LiF target. They recoiled into helium which was used as a buffer gas for optical pumping as well. Nuclear polarization up to 2% was detected by β-decay asymmetry. Rf transitions between hfs levels of the atomic ground state yielded the hfs separation ΔW=382.543(7) MHz. The nuclear spin assignmentI=2 was confirmed.