Übertragung von Polarisation bei sensibilisierenden Stößen angeregter Natriumatome

The transfer of magnetic polarization from state 3p ² p _1/2 to state 3p ² p _3/2 sensitizing collisions of sodium atoms with noble gas atoms has been observed. Sodium atoms were excited by absorption ofD ₁σ⁺-quanta. When buffer gas was added to the sodium vapour, unequal amounts ofD ₂σ⁺ andD ₂σ^? quanta could be detected in the fluorescent light. The difference of the amounts turned out to be proportional to the polarization transferred. The measurement of this difference as a function of the buffer gas pressure provided a method of determining the cross-sections of the polarization transfer. Values of the cross-sections are 22, 24, 26, 20, 23 Ų for the buffer gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, respectively. A preliminary investigation shows that the sign of the polarization transferred is reversed when the vapour is exposed to a strong magnetic field acting along the incident light beam.