@article {260, title = {Investigation of antirelaxation coatings for alkali-metal vapor cells using surface science techniques}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics}, volume = {133}, year = {2010}, note = {J. Chem. Phys.ISI Document Delivery No.: 667NNTimes Cited: 6Cited Reference Count: 81Seltzer, S. J. Michalak, D. J. Donaldson, M. H. Balabas, M. V. Barber, S. K. Bernasek, S. L. Bouchiat, M. -A. Hexemer, A. Hibberd, A. M. Kimball, D. F. Jackson Jaye, C. Karaulanov, T. Narducci, F. A. Rangwala, S. A. Robinson, H. G. Shmakov, A. K. Voronov, D. L. Yashchuk, V. V. Pines, A. Budker, D.Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences Division and Nuclear Science Division, of the U. S. Department of Energy [DE-AC02-05CH11231]; NSF/DST [PHY-0425916]; Office of Naval Research (ONR) [N0001409WX21049]The authors thank Daniel Fischer, Kristin Schmidt, and Ed Kramer for assistance with the NEXAFS measurements, and Joel Ager, Joshua Wnuk, David Trease, and Gwendal Kervern for helpful discussions and other assistance. S.J.S., D.J.M., M. H. D., A. P., and D. B., the Advanced Light Source, and the DSC, FTIR, and AFM studies were supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences Division and Nuclear Science Division, of the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Other parts of this work were funded by the NSF/DST under Grant No. PHY-0425916 for U.S.-India cooperative research, by an Office of Naval Research (ONR) MURI grant, and by ONR under Grant No. N0001409WX21049.AMER INST PHYSICSMELVILLE}, month = {October 11, 2010}, pages = {144703}, type = {Article}, chapter = {144703}, abstract = {

Many technologies based on cells containing alkali-metal atomic vapor benefit from the use of antirelaxation surface coatings in order to preserve atomic spin polarization. In particular, paraffin has been used for this purpose for several decades and has been demonstrated to allow an atom to experience up to 10 000 collisions with the walls of its container without depolarizing, but the details of its operation remain poorly understood. We apply modern surface and bulk techniques to the study of paraffin coatings in order to characterize the properties that enable the effective preservation of alkali spin polarization. These methods include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We also compare the light-induced atomic desorption yields of several different paraffin materials. Experimental results include the determination that crystallinity of the coating material is unnecessary, and the detection of CvC double bonds present within a particular class of effective paraffin coatings. Further study should lead to the development of more robust paraffin antirelaxation coatings, as well as the design and synthesis of new classes of coating materials. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3489922]

}, keywords = {SPECTROSCOPY}, isbn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/1.3489922}, url = {http://link.aip.org/link/doi/10.1063/1.3489922}, author = {Seltzer, S. J. and Michalak, D. J. and Donaldson, M. H. and Balabas, M. V. and Barber, S. K. and Bernasek, S. L. and Bouchiat, M. A. and Hexemer, A. and Hibberd, A. M. and Kimball, D. F. J. and Jaye, C. and Karaulanov, T. and Narducci, F. A. and Rangwala, S. A. and Robinson, H. G. and Shmakov, A. K. and Voronov, D. L. and Yashchuk, V. V. and Pines, A. and Budker, D.} }