Gréation optique d'une inégalité de population entre les sous-niveaux Zeeman de l'état fondamental des atomes

Hyperpolarized xenon in NMR and MRI

“…One of the applications proposed by Kastler in his seminal paper (Kastler 1950) was to use the non-equilibrium orientation of nuclei for the enhancement of the detection of gases or vapours by nuclear magnetic resonance. The experimental confirmation of the unequal population of ground-state sublevels was obtained two years later by Brosseler, Kastler and Winter using an atomic beam of Na (Brossler et al 1952). These ideas about optical pumping played an important part in the development of the laser.…”

Optically Enhanced Magnetic Resonance

“…Optical pumping and optical detection of magnetic resonance transitions were first demonstrated in atomic vapors 8, 13 but soon afterwards also in ionic solids. 36,37 Ruby (Cr 3+ :Al 2 O 3 ) proved an ideal test material, as it has relatively narrow optical absorption lines and allows different methods of optical pumping.…”

Applications of highly spin-polarized xenon in NMR

“…Following the first successful observations of these ·population imbalances in the early fifties [67,68], this technique has led to many imponant applications. These include precision measurements of atomic hyperfine structure [69], magnetic moments, atom-atom and atom-light interactions [70], as well as the construction of masers [71], magnetometers [72], and frequency standards [73].…”