dynamic nuclear polarization

dynamic nuclear polarization [dī′nam·ik ′nü·klē·ər ‚pō·lə·rə′zā·shən]

(nuclear physics)

The creation of assemblies of nuclei whose spin axes are not oriented at random, and which are in a steady state that is not a state of thermal equilibrium.

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Dynamic nuclear polarization

The creation of assemblies of nuclei whose spin axes are not oriented at random, and which are in a steady state that is not a state of thermal equilibrium. Under commonly occurring conditions, the spin axes of nuclei (with nonzero spin) are oriented at random; where this is not so, the nuclei are said to be polarized. Assemblies of polarized nuclei are not in a state of thermal equilibrium except under rather extreme conditions (for example, temperatures below 10 millikelvins and magnetic fields greater than several teslas), and therefore schemes have been devised to produce polarized assemblies, in a steady state which is not a state of thermal equilibrium, under less extreme conditions of temperature and so forth. Such schemes constitute dynamic nuclear polarization.

Among the many applications of polarized nuclei are the following. Nuclear forces are spin-dependent, and although the spin-dependent part can be found by using unpolarized assemblies, the experiments are simpler and their interpretation is clearer if polarized nuclei are used. Assemblies of polarized nuclei have a lower geometrical symmetry than assemblies of randomly oriented nuclei, and so these have been used to investigate the fundamental symmetries of nature. Polarized nuclei have been used to enhance the signal in free precession magnetometers and similar instruments, and the use of an assembly of polarized nuclei as a gyroscope has also been suggested. See Nuclear orientation, Parity (quantum mechanics), Spin (quantum mechanics)