Spin-exchange optical pumping as a source of spin-polarized atomic deuterium

Abstract
Optical pumping of potassium atoms followed by spin-exchange scattering with deuterium atoms in a high magnetic field was found to produce an intense, highly spin-polarized beam of atomic deuterium. In particular, the atomic polarization of deuterium was determined to be (73±3)% at an intensity of 2.1×1017 atoms/s.