Nuclear-Polarized Hydrogen/Deuterium Molecular Source

The prototype of a nuclear-polarized hydrogen/deuterium molecular source based on the classical Stern–Gerlach design was tested at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics. Its major components are an annular nozzle cooled down to 6.5 K and two superconducting sextupole magnets. The measured flow of polarized hydrogen molecules was 3 × 1012 mol/s at a total gas flow through the nozzle of 4 ×10–2 Torr L/s. The results obtained will be used to construct a more intense source of polarized molecules.