Spin-dependent scattering of slow neutrons on polarized 17O

The method of pseudomagnetism has been applied to measure the spin-dependent scattering length b_N of slow neutrons on ¹⁷O nuclei. A powder sample of CaO, enriched with ¹⁷O, has been used. In this sample, dynamic nuclear polarizations of ± 10 % have been achieved at 2.5 T and 0.2 K using paramagnetic impurities created by fast neutron irradiation (F-centers). b_N = 0.12 ± 0.04 fm has been found. This value is close to an earlier shell model calculation.