D. E. Murnick

Laser-saturation spectroscopy with optical pumping

Unique features can occur in laser-saturation spectroscopy experiments in which optical pumping is present. These are described and demonstrated in atomic sodium and barium.

The depolarization and diffusion of μ+ in chromium

Precession of polarized positive muons is used to probe internal magnetic fields in a polycrystalline sample of high purity chromium. A depolarization, or damping in time, of the precession oscillation is observed in the antiferromagnetic states between 77 K and 312 K. The results are used to obtain the temperature dependence of the muon diffusion rates, with the assumption that the local fields are of dipolar origin.

The muon depolarization rate in β-palladium hydride

Abstract A depolarization rate σ = 0.1205 ± 0.0050 μsec−1, due to the proton nuclear dipolar fields, was observed for polarized muons implanted in Pd-H0.97 in the β phase, at temperatures below 50 K, independent of temperature and applied field. The results indicate that the muon substitutes for one of the protons, and that nearest-neighbor protons are at octahedral lattice sites. On comparing our results with recent NMR data, it appears that the mean muon-proton nearest neighbor distance is significantly larger than that between protons alone. Also, a search for muon local moment magnetism gave a null result.

Isotope shift of 667.7 nm transition in atomic argon

Abstract Doppler-free optogalvanic measurements of the 667.7 nm 4 s [ 3 2 ] 1 to 4 p [ 1 2 ] 0 transition in 36,38,40Ar have yielded values for the isotope shifts, field shifts and δ〈r2〉. The field shift, calibrated with muonic X-ray data, confirm a significantly larger δ〈r2〉 for 38−40Ar (0.17 fm2) than for 36−38Ar (0.07 fm2) consistent with similar data for K and Ca crossing the 1 f 7 2 magic neutron number N = 20.

Magnetic moment of 24mNa

Abstract Recent experiments have provided values for the magnetic moment of the 1 + isomer of 24 Na. We have determined the sign of the moment to be negative by a laser induced nuclear orientation experiment and have compared the experimental results with calculations based on the Lawson-Nilson model.