Radio frequency discharge apparatus for studying spin transfer from solid surfaces to metastable helium gas

Maruyama, Haruka*; Saito, Eiji; 2 of others*

We developed a radio frequency discharge apparatus for He gas to investigate the spin states of metastable helium (He) interacting with solid-state surfaces. Our apparatus consisted of a stainless steel vacuum chamber, in which a coil produced He by discharging introduced He gas. The spin states of the He were detected using optical pumping and probing techniques. The chamber was designed to accommodate various solid-state samples. We measured the He polarization produced at a dielectric prism surface by total internal reflection of the circularly polarized pumping light. Our apparatus can be used to investigate possible spin transfer from various solid surfaces to He atoms.