The Determination of the Polarization of 3He by Optical Methods

Abstract

Two methods are described for determining the polarization of 23S13He by measuring the transmission of a test beam through the polarized gas. Satisfactory agreement was obtained between the polarizations measured by these methods, and a new formula for the determination of the polarization of 3He from the intensity of the scattered pumping light. This new formula takes into account the fact that the pumping light is not all parallel to the magnetic field, and that it may not be accurately circularly polarized.