Magnetized boxes for housing polarized spins in homogeneous fields

2010

Abstract We present novel types of permanently magnetized as well as current powered boxes built from soft-ferromagnetic materials. They provide shielded magnetic fields which are homogeneous within a large fraction of the enclosed volume, thus minimizing size, weight, and costs. For the permanently magnetized solutions, homogenization is achieved either by an optimized distribution of the permanent field sources or by jacketing the field with a soft-ferromagnetic cylindrical shell which is magnetized in parallel to the enclosed field. The latter principle may be applied up to fields of about 0.1 T. With fields of about 1 mT, such boxes are being used for shipping spin-polarized 3 He worldw…

Cubic boron nitride: A new prospective material for ultracold neutron application

2009

Abstract At the ultracold neutron (UCN) source of the TRIGA research reactor in Mainz, we have measured for the first time the material optical wall-potential of cubic boron nitride. The measurements were performed with a time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer. The samples investigated had a wall-potential of ( 305 ± 15 ) neV . This value is in good agreement with the result extracted from neutron reflectometry data and theoretical expectations. Because of its high critical velocity for UCN and its good dielectric characteristics, cubic boron nitride coatings (isotopically enriched) will be useful for a number of applications in UCN experiments.

Polarimetry on dense samples of spin-polarized 3He by magnetostatic detection

1997

Abstract A very sensitive low-field fluxgate magnetometer is used to detect the static magnetic field produced by dense samples of spin-polarized 3He gas contained in spherical glass cells at pressures around several bars. The 3He nuclear polarization can be extracted with high precision ΔP P by utilizing magnetostatic detection in combination with adiabatic fast-passage spin reversal. The polarization losses can be kept well below 0.1% thus making this type of polarimetry almost non-destructive. More simply even, P can be measured with reduced accuracy by the change of field when the cell is removed from the fluxgate. In this case the accuracy is limited to about 10% due to the uncertainti…

Nuclear hyperpolarization of 3He by magnetized plasmas

2018

International audience; We describe a method, referred to as PAMP (polarization of atoms in a magnetized plasma), that allowshyperpolarization of 3He nuclear spins at high magnetic field solely by excitation of a rf gas discharge.A magnetized plasma is obtained when the mean free path of the free electrons is much larger than theirgyration radius in the rf gas discharge. Investigations of PAMP are carried out in the 1–15-mbar pressure rangewith rf excitation around 100 MHz. Quantitative NMR measurements at 4.7 T and room temperature showthat, for different cell sizes and gas densities, 3He nuclear polarizations in the 1 to 9% range are achieved(i.e., larger than the Boltzmann equilibrium sp…

The3He neutron spin filter at ILL

1997

Abstract Neutron Spin-Filters (NSF) using gaseous polarized 3He have long been recognized as having enormous potential value in many polarized neutron scattering applications and, accordingly, ILL started a development program some years ago. This report gives an account of the present status of the project. Let us first briefly recall the reasons why the 3He-NSF is desirable as a generic polarization tool: Being a pure transmission device, NSF naturally decouples the neutron spin selection from other optical functions. Designing polarized instruments will be simplified having no geometrical constraints due to Bragg optics or beam deviation in the polarizer. Angular acceptance and energy ba…

Controlling diffusion of 3He by buffer gases: a structural contrast agent in lung MRI.

2006

Purpose: To study the influence of admixing inert buffer gases to laser-polarized 3 He in terms of resulting diffusion coefficients and the consequences for image contrast and resolution. Materials and Methods: The diffusion coefficient of 3 He was altered by admixing buffer gases of various molecular weights ( 4 He, N2, and SF6). The influence of the pulse sequence and the diffusion coefficient on the appearance of MRI of (laserpolarized) gases was analyzed by comparison of basic theoretical concepts with demonstrative experiments. Results: Excellent agreement between theoretical description and observed signal in simple gradient echoes was observed. A maximum signal gain can be predicted …

Quantification of Regional Intrapulmonary Oxygen Partial Pressure Evolution during Apnea by 3He MRI

1999

We present a new method to determine in vivo the temporal evolution of intrapulmonary oxygen concentrations by functional lung imaging with hyperpolarized (3)Helium ((3)He-->). Single-breath, single-bolus visualization of (3)He--> administered to the airspaces is used to analyze nuclear spin relaxation caused by the local oxygen partial pressure p(O(2))(t). We model the dynamics of hyperpolarization in the lung by rate equations. Based hereupon, a double acquisition technique is presented to separate depolarization by RF pulses and oxygen induced relaxation. It permits the determination of p(O(2)) with a high accuracy of up to 3% with simultaneous flip angle calibration using no additional …

Spin clocks: Probing fundamental symmetries in nature

2013

The detection of the free precession of co-located 3He/129Xe nuclear spins (clock comparison) is used as ultra-sensitive probe for non-magnetic spin interactions, since the magnetic dipole interaction (Zeeman-term) drops out in the weighted frequency difference, i.e., Δω = ωHe- γHe/γXe·ωXe of the respective Larmor frequencies. Recent results are reported on searches for (i) short-range P- and T-violating interactions between nucleons, and (ii) Lorentz violating signatures by monitoring the Larmor frequencies as the laboratory reference frame rotates with respect to distant stars (sidereal modulation). Finally, a new experimental initiative to search for an electric dipole moment of 129Xe (C…

The magnetic shielding for the neutron decay spectrometer aSPECT

2014

Abstract Many experiments in nuclear and neutron physics are confronted with the problem that they use a superconducting magnetic spectrometer which potentially affects other experiments by their stray magnetic field. The retardation spectrometer a SPECT consists, inter alia, of a superconducting magnet system that produces a strong longitudinal magnetic field of up to 6.2 T. In order not to disturb other experiments in the vicinity of a SPECT, we had to develop a magnetic field return yoke for the magnet system. While the return yoke must reduce the stray magnetic field, the internal magnetic field and its homogeneity should not be affected. As in many cases, the magnetic shielding for a S…

Interdisciplinary experiments with polarized 3He

1998

Abstract Optical pumping of metastable 3 He atoms is a very efficient method to produce large quantities of nuclear spin-polarized 3 He. Recent developments in mechanical compression of the gas, its storage and transport allow for its flexible use in different fields of physics and applied science. Among these are (1) scattering experiments of polarized beams from polarized 3 He-targets, (2) 3 He as neutron spin filter to polarize neutron beams at research reactors, and (3) polarized 3 He gas inhaled into the lungs to perform magnetic resonance imaging. The paper discusses the different topics along with results obtained in a first round of experiments.

The Proton Spectrum in Neutron Beta Decay: Latest Results with the aSPECT Spectrometer

2009

Abstract The purpose of the neutron decay spectrometer aSPECT is to determine the antineutrino electron angular correlation coefficient a with high precision. Latest measurements with aSPECT were performed during April/May 2008 at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France. In this paper we give a report on the experiment and the status of the ongoing data analysis.

Imaging of the lungs using 3he MRI: Preliminary clinical experience in 18 patients with and without lung disease

1997

The purpose of this study was to describe the 3He MRI findings of normal pulmonary ventilation in healthy volunteers and to evaluate abnormalities in patients with different lung diseases. Hyperpolarized 3He gas (300 ml, 3 x 10(5) Pa, polarized to 35-45% by optical pumping, provided in special glass cells) was inhaled by 8 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with different lung diseases. Imaging was performed with a three-dimensional fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence (TR = 11.8 msec; TE = 5 msec; transmitter amplitude, 5-8 V; corresponding flip angle, < 5 degrees) in a single breath-hold (22-42 seconds). Clinical and radiological examinations were available for correlation. The studies we…

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of airways in humans with use of hyperpolarized3He

1996

The nuclear spin polarization of noble gases can be enhanced strongly by laser optical pumping followed by electron-nuclear polarization transfer. Direct optical pumping of metastable 3He atoms has been shown to produce enormous polarization on the order of 0.4-0.6. This is about 105 times larger than the polarization of water protons at thermal equilibrium used in conventional MRI. We demonstrate that hyperpolarized 3 He gas can be applied to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of organs with air-filled spaces in humans. In vivo 3 He MR experiments were performed in a whole-body MR scanner with a superconducting magnet ramped down to 0.8 T. Anatomical details of the upper respiratory tract …

Realization of administration unit for3He with gas recycling

2011

Hyperpolarized (HP) noble gases (3He,129Xe) are used for MR-imaging of the lung. In the majority of case the HP gas is filled in Tedlarbags and directly inhaled by the patients. Starting from an earlier pilot device, an administration unit was built respectively to the Medical Devices Law to administer patients HP noble gas boli in defined quantities and at a predefined time during inspiration with high reproducibility and reliability without reducing MR-quality. The patient's airflows are monitored and recorded. It is possible to use gas admixtures, measure the polarization on-line and collect the exhaled gas for later recycling. The first images with healthy volunteers were taken with thi…

3He neutron spin filter at ILL

1997

Abstract The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin polarized 3He opens the possibility to polarize neutrons over the full-spectrum of cold, thermal and epithermal neutrons. At ILL a neutron spin filter (NSF) development started which uses the direct optical pumping of metastable 3He atoms in a 3He plasma at 1 mbar. At present 0.5 bar 1 of gaseous 3He can be polarized within 1 h. Subsequent polarization-preserving compression by a two-stage compressor system enables one to prepare NSF cells of about 300 cm3 volume in the required pressure range of several bars. A remote type of operation based on relaxation times of up to 100 h has been demonstrated in a first survey…

Measuring the proton spectrum in neutron decay - latest results with aSPECT

2008

The retardation spectrometer aSPECT was built to measure the shape of the proton spectrum in free neutron decay with high precision. This allows us to determine the antineutrino electron angular correlation coefficient a. We aim for a precision more than one order of magnitude better than the present best value, which is Delta_a /a = 5%. In a recent beam time performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin during April / May 2008 we reached a statistical accuracy of about 2% per 24 hours measurement time. Several systematic effects were investigated experimentally. We expect the total relative uncertainty to be well below 5%.

A source of polarized electrons based on photoemission of GaAsP.

1990

Abstract The source described is based on photoemission of electrons from 100-GaAs0.62P0.38 activated to negative electron affinity. It is built to inject a beam of polarized electrons into the 350 MeV linear accelerator in Mainz. It is capable of delivering a mean current of 28 μA spin-polarized longitudinally to a degree of 0.44. The lifetime of the cathode under operational conditions is better than 200 h. The source was successfully run in a parity experiment, in which the analysing power of quasielastic scattering from beryllium for longitudinally polarized electrons was measured.

Measurement of the permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron

2020

We present the result of an experiment to measure the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron at the Paul Scherrer Institute using Ramsey’s method of separated oscillating magnetic fields with ultracold neutrons. Our measurement stands in the long history of EDM experiments probing physics violating time-reversal invariance. The salient features of this experiment were the use of a 199Hg comagnetometer and an array of optically pumped cesium vapor magnetometers to cancel and correct for magnetic-field changes. The statistical analysis was performed on blinded datasets by two separate groups, while the estimation of systematic effects profited from an unprecedented knowledge of the magne…

Spherical fused silica cells filled with pure helium for nuclear magnetic resonance-magnetometry.

2016

High magnetic fields (> 1 T) are measured by NMR magnetometers with un-rivaled precision if the precessing spin sample provides long coherence times. The longest coherence times are found in diluted ${}^{3}$He samples, which can be hyperpolarized for sufficient signal strength. In order to have minimal influence on the homogeneity and value of the measured magnetic field the optimal container for the ${}^{3}$He should be a perfect sphere. A fused silica sphere with an inner diameter of 8 mm and an outer diameter of 12 mm was made from two hemispheres by diffusion bonding leaving only a small hole for cleaning and evacuation. This hole was closed in vacuum by a CO${}_{2}$ laser and the inner…

3He-MRI-based measurements of intrapulmonarypO2 and its time course during apnea in healthy volunteers: first results, reproducibility, and technical…

2000

We applied a recently developed method of following the time course of the intrapulmonary oxygen partial pressure p(O2)(t) during apnea by (3)He MRI to healthy volunteers. Using two imaging series with different interscan times during two breathholds (double acquisition technique), relaxation of (3)He due to paramagnetic oxygen and depolarization by RF pulses were discriminated. In all four subjects, the temporal evolution of p(O2) was found to be linear, and was described by an initial partial pressure p(0) and a decrease rate R. Also, regional differences of both p(0) and R were observed. A correlation between p(0) and R was apparent. Finally, we discuss limitations of the double acquisit…

A dense polarized 3He target based on compression of optically pumped gas

1992

Abstract 3 He-gas is spin polarized by the method of optical pumping of metastables and metastability exchange in a low pressure gas discharge. At a pressure of p ≈ 1.5 Torr a volume of 1 l is polarized within about 30 s to a degree of 50% with 300 mW of incident light from an argon-ion laser pumped LNA laser, tuned to the λ = 1.083 μm resonance line. The polarized gas is compressed by a Toepler pump into a target cell of 120 cm 3 volume. In a first attempt a steady state polarization of 30% has been achieved in the target at a pressure of 685 Torr. The paper analyses the essential parameters governing this technique and pilotes its experimental realization.

Neutron optics P-violation effects near p-wave resonance

1999

Abstract The observations of large enhancement of parity-violation at p-wave compound resonance encourage prompt active discussion of TRI test in neutron optics. One of the most attractive objects for investigation is the p-wave resonance of 139 La at energy 0.734 eV for which the strongest P-odd effect of spin dichroism has been observed. A new technique of neutron spin analysis based on optically pumped 3 He spin filter has been applied successfully to measure the complementary effect of P-odd spin rotation near the same p-wave resonance of 139 La . The results obtained are consistent with theory predictions.

Imaging of a mixture of hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe.

2004

Abstract With the use of hyperpolarized gases, a great number of experiments have been carried out in order to improve the diagnostics of the lung, both from a structural and a functional point of view. 3 He is best suited for structural studies, whereas 129 Xe gives more detailed information about the functionality of the lung because it enters the bloodstream. In this work, we propose the use of a gas mixture to perform consecutive analysis of lung structure and functionality upon the delivery of a single bolus of gas. We show images of a helium–xenon gas mixture in the presence of a small amount of liquid toluene in order to demonstrate how both nuclei can be detected independently, extr…

First measurement of the polarisation transfer on the proton in the reactions $$H(\vec e,e'\vec p)$$ and $$D(\vec e,e'\vec p)$$

1995

The measurement of the polarisation transfer to the proton in the reactions\(H(\vec e,e'\vec p)\) and\(D(\vec e,e'\vec p)\) performed with longitudinally polarised electrons in quasi-free kinematics is presented. The coincidence measurement was executed atQ2≈8fm−2 using the 855 MeV, c.w. beam of the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The recoil polarisation was determined by means of a carbon analyser. The experiment shows that the binding of the nucleon does not modify the polarisationPx of the recoil proton within an error ofΔPx/Px≈10%. The measured polarisation agrees with recent theoretical predictions. Implications for the measurement of the electric form factor of the neutron using the\(D(\vec e,e…

A polarized 3He target for the photon beam at MAMI

2011

Abstract A polarized 3 He target has been installed for the first time inside the 4 π Crystal Ball detector at the tagged photon beam of the MAinz MIcrotron (MAMI). It has been demonstrated that the system works reliably and that the polarization losses during handling of the polarized gas are under control. Initial polarization values up to 70% and total relaxation times up to 20 h could be obtained during a first test beam time devoted to the measurement of the double polarized photoabsorption cross-section in the Δ ( 1232 ) baryon resonance region.

MR imaging of the lungs with hyperpolarized helium-3 gas transported by air.

2002

Hyperpolarized noble gas MRI shows promise in the functional imaging of the pulmonary air spaces. The production of hyperpolarized (HP) gas requires specialized laser optical pumping apparatus, which is not likely to be home built in the majority of clinical MRI radiology centres. There are two routes through which HP gas will be made available to hospitals for clinical use: either the apparatus will be installed locally at a considerable expense to the centre, or a central facility will produce the gas and then deliver it to remote MRI sites as and when required. In this study, the feasibility of transporting large quantities of HP gas for in vivo MR imaging from a remote production facili…

Realization of a broad band neutron spin filter with compressed, polarized 3He gas

1997

The strongly spin dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin polarized 3He opens the possibility to polarize beams of thermal and epithermal neutrons. An effective 3He neutron spin filter (NSF) requires high 3He nuclear polarization as well as a filter thickness corresponding to a gas amount of the order of 1 barl. We realized such a filter using direct optical pumping of metastable 3He∗ atoms in a 3He plasma at 1 mbar. Metastable exchange scattering transfers the angular momentum to the whole ensemble of 3He atoms. At present 3 × 1018 3He-atoms/s are polarized up to 64%. Subsequent polarization preserving compression by a two stage compressor system enables to prepare NSF cells of ab…

A new limit of the 129 Xenon Electric Dipole Moment

2019

We report on the first preliminary result of our 129Xe EDM measurement performed by the MIXed collaboration. The aim of this report is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new method to set limits on nuclear EDMs by investigating the EDM of the diamagnetic 129Xe atoms. In our setup, hyperpolarized 3He serves as a comagnetometer needed to suppress magnetic field fluctuations. The free induction decay of the two polarized spin species is directly measured by low noise DC SQUIDs, and the weighted phase difference extracted from these measurements is used to determine a preliminary upper limit on the 129Xe EDM.

Recycling of 3He from lung magnetic resonance imaging

2011

We have developed the means to recycle 3He exhaled by patients after imaging the lungs using magnetic resonance of hyperpolarized 3He. The exhaled gas is collected in a helium leak proof bag and further compressed into a steel bottle. The collected gas contains about 1–2% of 3He, depending on the amount administered and the number of breaths collected to wash out the 3He gas from the lungs. 3He is separated from the exhaled air using zeolite molecular sieve adsorbent at 77 K followed by a cold head at 8 K. Residual gaseous impurities are finally absorbed by a commercial nonevaporative getter. The recycled 3He gas features high purity, which is required for repolarization by metastability ex…

From nuclear physic to NMR tomography

2002

Optimized Continuous Application of Hyperpolarized Xenon to Liquids

2018

International audience; In recent years, NMR with hyperpolarized (HP) xenon inside functionalized host structures (e.g. cryptophanes) have become a potential candidate for the direct observation of metabolic processes (i.e. molecular imaging). A critical issue for real applications is the dissolution of the HP-gas in the liquid which contains the host. In this work, we present recent developments for an improved and controlled dissolution of HP-Xe in liquids using hollow fiber membranes and different compressor systems. The designed apparatus consists of a compressor and a membrane unit. The compressor provides HP-129 Xe continuously at small adjustable pressures and in a polarization-prese…

Compression of Polarized 3He

1991

This article gives a status report on the polarized 3He target development work at Mainz. It is based on the optical pumping of the 3S1 state of 3He with subsequent metastability spin exchange to the ground state atoms. This pumping scheme is very efficient at 3He pressures of about 1 Torr; for high density targets, however, a mechanical compression of the polarized gas is needed in a second step. First results with a Toepler compression pump look promising and will be discussed in the following.

Gravitational depolarization of ultracold neutrons : comparison with data

2015

We compare the expected effects of so-called gravitationally enhanced depolarization of ultracold neutrons to measurements carried out in a spin-precession chamber exposed to a variety of vertical magnetic-field gradients. In particular, we have investigated the dependence upon these field gradients of spin depolarization rates and also of shifts in the measured neutron Larmor precession frequency. We find excellent qualitative agreement, with gravitationally enhanced depolarization accounting for several previously unexplained features in the data.

The n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute

2018

We present the new spectrometer for the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) search at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), called n2EDM. The setup is at room temperature in vacuum using ultracold neutrons. n2EDM features a large UCN double storage chamber design with neutron transport adapted to the PSI UCN source. The design builds on experience gained from the previous apparatus operated at PSI until 2017. An order of magnitude increase in sensitivity is calculated for the new baseline setup based on scalable results from the previous apparatus, and the UCN source performance achieved in 2016.

Neutron Decay with PERC: a Progress Report

2011

The PERC collaboration will perform high-precision measurements of angular correlations in neutron beta decay at the beam facility MEPHISTO of the Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz in Munich, Germany. The new beam station PERC, a clean, bright, and versatile source of neutron decay products, is designed to improve the sensitivity of neutron decay studies by one order of magnitude. The charged decay products are collected by a strong longitudinal magnetic field directly from inside a neutron guide. This combination provides the highest phase space density of decay products. A magnetic mirror serves to perform precise cuts in phase space, reducing related systematic errors. The …

Limit on Lorentz andCPTviolation of the bound neutron using a free precessionHe3/Xe129comagnetometer

2010

We report on the search for Lorentz-violating sidereal variations of the frequency difference of colocated spin species while the Earth and hence the laboratory reference frame rotates with respect to a relic background field. The comagnetometer used is based on the detection of freely precessing nuclear spins from polarized 3 He and 129 Xe gas samples using SQUIDs as low-noise magnetic flux detectors. As result we can determine the limit for the equatorial component of the background field interacting with the spin of the bound neutron to be b n ⊥ < 3.7 · 10- 32 GeV (95% C.L.).

First measurement of the helicity dependence of 3He photoreactions in the Δ(1232) resonance region

2013

The first measurement of the helicity dependence of the total inclusive 3He photo-absorption cross section and of the partial cross sections for several reaction channels was carried out at MAMI (Mainz) in the photon energy range between 150 and 500 MeV. The experiment used the large acceptance Crystal Ball spectrometer, complemented by charged particle and vertex detectors, a circularly polarised tagged photon beam and a longitudinally polarised high-pressure 3He gas target. The results obtained give information on the GDH integral on 3He and on the neutron and allow an investigation of the modifications of nucleon properties inside 3He.

He-3 spin filter for neutrons

2005

The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarized (3)He opens up the possibility of polarizing neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. This paper gives a report on the neutron spin filter (NSF) development program at Mainz. The polarization technique is based on direct optical pumping of metastable (3)He atoms combined with a polarization preserving mechanical compression of the gas up to a pressure of several bar, necessary to run a NSF. The concept of a remote type of operation using detachable NSF cells is presented which requires long nuclear spin relaxation times of order 100 hours. A sh…

Application unit for the administration of contrast gases for pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging: optimization of ventilation distribution for3He-M…

2014

Purpose MRI of lung airspaces using gases with MR-active nuclei (3He, 129Xe, and 19F) is an important area of research in pulmonary imaging. The volume-controlled administration of gas mixtures is important for obtaining quantitative information from MR images. State-of-the-art gas administration using plastic bags (PBs) does not allow for a precise determination of both the volume and timing of a 3He bolus. Methods A novel application unit (AU) was built according to the requirements of the German medical devices law. Integrated spirometers enable the monitoring of the inhaled gas flow. The device is particularly suited for hyperpolarized (HP) gases (e.g., storage and administration with m…

POLARIZED 3HE TARGETS FOR REAL AND VIRTUAL PHOTONS

2011

Realization of a broad-band neutron spin filter with compressed, polarized 3He gas

1997

The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin polarized 3He opens the possibility to polarize beams of thermal and epithermal neutrons. An effective 3He neutron spin filter (NSF) requires high 3He nuclear polarization as well as a filter thickness corresponding to amount of gas in the order of 1 bar 1. We realized such a filter using direct optical pumping of metastable 3He∗ atoms in a 3He plasma at 1 mb. Metastable exchange scattering transfers the angular momentum to the whole ensemble of 3He atoms. At present 3.6 × 1018 3He-atoms s−1 are polarized up to 68%. Subsequent polarization preserving compression by a two-stage compressor system enables to prepare NSF cells o…

Allmendingeret al.Reply:

2014

Polarized3He targets in medium energy physics at MAMI

2011

Experiments with polarized 3He targets at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) involve double polarized photoabsorption or the extraction of the electric form factor of the neutron Ge,n via electron scattering, respectively. Polarized 3He with an initial polarization of up to 70% at the experimental areas is provided by a polarizer based on the principle of metastability exchange optical pumping (MEOP). In this article both target setups for the photon- and the electron beamlines will be described and a status of the data analysis will be given.

Normal and abnormal pulmonary ventilation: visualization at hyperpolarized He-3 MR imaging.

1996

To assess the feasibility of helium-3 magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with a three-dimensional fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence, He-3 gas (volume, 300 mL; pressure, 3 x 10(5) Pa; polarized up to 45% by means of optimal pumping) was inhaled by five healthy volunteers and five patients with pulmonary diseases. All breath-hold examinations (22-42 seconds) were completed successfully. Normal ventilation was depicted with homogeneous high signal intensity, lesions were depicted as causing defects, and obstructive lung disease was depicted with severely inhomogeneous signal intensity.

Determination of the neutron electric form factor in the D(e,e′n)p reaction and the influence of nuclear binding

1999

The electric form factor of the neutron GE,n has been determined at the Mainz Microtron MAMI at the low momentum transfer Q2= 0.15 (GeV/c)2 in a measurement of the recoil polarisation ratio Px/Pz in the quasifree reaction D(e,e′n)p. At this Q2 the influence of the nuclear binding is strong. A purely kinematical model is used to get some insight into the effect of the initial Fermi momentum distribution of the neutron. The influence of the final state interaction is determined quantitatively by a model of Arenhovel et al.. After the corresponding corrections a value of GE,n(0.15 (GeV/c)2) = 0.0481±0.0065stat±0.0053syst is obtained.

Large solid-angle polarisation analysis at thermal neutron wavelengths using a 3He spin filter

2002

Abstract The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarised 3 He opens up the possibility of polarising neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. In this paper we describe the first large solid-angle polarisation analysis measurement using a 3 He neutron spin filter at thermal neutron wavelengths ( λ =2.5 A). This experiment was performed on the two-axis diffractometer D1B at the Institut Laue-Langevin using a banana-shaped filter cell (530 cm 3 ) filled with 3 He gas with a polarisation of P =52% at a pressure of 2.7 bar. A comparison is made with a previous measurement on D7 using a cold neutr…

Constraints on Spin-Dependent Short-Range Interaction between Nucleons

2013

We report on the search for a new spin-dependent P- and T-violating interaction between nucleons mediated by light, pseudoscalar bosons such as the axion which was invented to solve the strong CP problem. Our experimental approach is to use an ultra-sensitive low-field magnetometer based on the detection of free precession of co-located 3He and 129Xe nuclear spins using SQUIDs as low-noise magnetic flux detectors. In the presence of an unpolarized mass the precession frequency shif

Final State Interaction Effects in 3He(e ,e'p)

2003

Abstract Asymmetries in quasi-elastic 3 He ( e → , e ′ p ) have been measured at a momentum transfer of 0.67 (GeV/ c ) 2 and are compared to a calculation which takes into account relativistic kinematics in the final state and a relativistic one-body current operator. With an exact solution of the Faddeev equation for the 3 He -ground state and an approximate treatment of final state interactions in the continuum good agreement is found with the experimental data.

Feasibility of functional magnetic resonance lung imaging in Australia with long distance transport of hyperpolarized helium from Germany.

2008

MRI of the lung using hyperpolarized helium as an inhaled contrast agent has important research applications and clinical potential. Owing to the limited availability of hyperpolarized helium, this type of imaging has not been performed in the human lung outside of North America or Europe. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of imaging human lungs in Australia using hyperpolarized helium gas imported from Germany.A Bruker 2-Tesla whole-body magnetic resonance scanner located in Brisbane, Australia was adapted with a helium-3 radiofrequency transceiver coil. Helium-3 was hyperpolarized to 72% in Mainz, Germany and airfreighted to Brisbane. The time taken for the journey w…

The Electric Formfactor of the Neutron Determined by Quasielastic Scattering of Longitudinally Polarized Electrons from 3He and 2D

1996

The recent availability of polarized electron beams at electron accelerator laboratories adds another technique to probing the electromagnetic structure of nuclear matter [1]. The present paper discusses the application of polarized electron scattering to the determination of the electric formfactor of the neutron. Its value at medium energies is only poorly known hitherto. Electron scattering is dominated by interaction with the neutron magnetic moment. Therefore the contribution of the charge distribution to the scattering cross section is scarcely detectable in case of unpolarized collision partners. The elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from a polarized neutron ta…

New Limit on Lorentz-Invariance- andCPT-Violating Neutron Spin Interactions Using a Free-Spin-PrecessionHe3-Xe129Comagnetometer

2014

We report on the search for a $CPT$- and Lorentz-invariance-violating coupling of the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ nuclear spins (each largely determined by a valence neutron) to posited background tensor fields that permeate the Universe. Our experimental approach is to measure the free precession of nuclear spin polarized $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ atoms in a homogeneous magnetic guiding field of about 400 nT using ${\mathrm{LT}}_{C}$ SQUIDs as low-noise magnetic flux detectors. As the laboratory reference frame rotates with respect to distant stars, we look for a sidereal modulation of the Larmor frequencies of the colocated spin samples. As a result we obtain…

Comparison of ultracold neutron sources for fundamental physics measurements

2016

Ultracold neutrons (UCNs) are key for precision studies of fundamental parameters of the neutron and in searches for new CP violating processes or exotic interactions beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. The most prominent example is the search for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM). We have performed an experimental comparison of the leading UCN sources currently operating. We have used a 'standard' UCN storage bottle with a volume of 32 liters, comparable in size to nEDM experiments, which allows us to compare the UCN density available at a given beam port.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging with hyperpolarised helium-3

1996

Abstract Summary Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relies on magnetisation of hydrogen nuclei (protons) of water molecules in tissue as source of the signal. This technique has been valuable for studying tissues that contain significant amounts of water, but biological settings with low proton content, notably the lungs, are difficult to image. We report use of spin-polarised helium-3 for lung MRI. Methods A volunteer inhaled hyperpolarised 3 He to fill the lungs, which were imaged with a conventional MRI detector assembly. The nuclear spin polarisation of helium, and other noble gases, can be greatly enhanced by laser optical pumping and is about 10 5 times larger than the polari…

A measurement of the neutron to 199Hg magnetic moment ratio

2014

The neutron gyromagnetic ratio has been measured relative to that of the 199Hg atom with an uncertainty of 0.8 ppm. We employed an apparatus where ultracold neutrons and mercury atoms are stored in the same volume and report the result γn/γHg=3.8424574(30).

Very long nuclear relaxation times of spin polarized helium 3 in metal coated cells

1995

Abstract We obtained very long relaxation times T 1 of up to 120 h for the nuclear polarization of an optically pumped helium 3 gas. The glass containers were internally coated with metallic films such as bismuth or cesium. These findings will have applications in the field of helium magnetometers and polarized targets.

A highly polarized target for the electron beam at MAMI

2009

Abstract Polarized He 3 from metastability exchange optical pumping (MEOP) is used as an effective polarized neutron target for electron scattering experiments at the MAinz MIcrotron (MAMI). With the present setup an initial polarization of up to 72% has been obtained at the experimental area. A novel calibration technique will be presented which allows the determination of the absolute polarization within a relative uncertainty of 3%.

Analysis of intrapulmonary O2concentration by MR imaging of inhaled hyperpolarized helium-3

1999

Inhalation of hyperpolarized 3He allows magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ventilated airspaces.3He hyperpolarization decays more rapidly when interacting with paramagnetic O2. We describe a method for in vivo determination of intrapulmonary O2 concentrations ([O2]) based on MRI analysis of the fate of measured amounts of inhaled hyperpolarized3He in imaged regions of the lung. Anesthetized pigs underwent controlled normoventilation in a 1.5-T MRI unit. The inspired O2 fraction was varied to achieve different end-tidal [O2] fractions ([Formula: see text]). With the use of a specifically designed applicator,3He (100 ml, 35–45% polarized) was administered at a predefined time within single …

Demonstration of sensitivity increase in mercury free-spin-precession magnetometers due to laser-based readout for neutron electric dipole moment sea…

2018

International audience; We report on a laser based $^{199}$Hg co-magnetometer deployed in an experiment searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron. We demonstrate a more than five times increased signal to-noise-ratio in a direct comparison measurement with its $^{204}$Hg discharge bulb-based predecessor. An improved data model for the extraction of important system parameters such as the degrees of absorption and polarization is derived. Laser- and lamp-based data-sets can be consistently described by the improved model which permits to compare measurements using the two different light sources and to explain the increase in magnetometer performance. The laser-based ma…

Design of the Magnet System of the Neutron Decay Facility PERC

2018

The PERC (Proton and Electron Radiation Channel) facility is currently under construction at the research reactor FRM II, Garching. It will serve as an intense and clean source of electrons and protons from neutron beta decay for precision studies. It aims to contribute to the determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark-mixing element $V_{ud}$ from neutron decay data and to search for new physics via new effective couplings. PERC's central component is a 12m long superconducting magnet system. It hosts an 8m long decay region in a uniform field. An additional high-field region selects the phase space of electrons and protons which can reach the detectors and largely improves system…

HP-Xe to go: Storage and Transportation of Hyperpolarized 129-Xe

2016

Abstract Recently the spin–lattice relaxation time T 1 of hyperpolarized (HP)- 129 Xe was significantly improved by using uncoated and Rb-free storage vessels of GE180 glass. For these cells, a simple procedure was established to obtain reproducible wall relaxation times of about 18 h. Then the limiting relaxation mechanism in pure Xe is due to the coupling between the nuclear spins and the angular momentum of the Xe–Xe van-der-Waals-molecules. This mechanism can be significantly reduced by using different buffer gases of which CO 2 was discovered to be the most efficient so far. From these values, it was estimated that for a 1:1 mixture of HP-Xe with CO 2 a longitudinal relaxation time of …

Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the $^{129}$Xe Atom

2019

We report on a measurement of the $CP$-violating permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutral $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ atom. Our experimental approach is based on the detection of the free precession of co-located nuclear spin-polarized $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ samples. The EDM measurement sensitivity benefits strongly from long spin coherence times of several hours achieved in diluted gases and homogeneous weak magnetic fields of about 400 nT. A finite EDM is indicated by a change in the precession frequency, as an electric field is periodically reversed with respect to the magnetic guiding field. Our result $(\ensuremath{-}4.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6.4)\ifmmode\t…

Measurement of the Parity Violation in Quasi-Elastic Electroweak Electron-Scattering from 9Be

1986

In the energy range of about 300 MeV, available at the Mainz- Linac, quasi-elastic scattering dominates the total cross section at backward scattering angles. This process can therefore be detected efficiently by a gas Cerenkov-counter with large solid angle. This is a prerequisit for experiments on parity violation due to the very small asymmetry effect being of the order of 1|10-5 at these energies [1]. The counting system built, consists of 12 elliptical mirrors, imaging the Cerenkov photons seen in target direction onto photomultipliers. The mirrors cover the full azimuth for polar angles 115°≦ϑ≦145°, thus covering 20% of 4π (Fig. 1). The detector has been proved to yield a statistical …

Measurement of the Neutron Electric to Magnetic Form Factor Ratio atQ2=1.58  GeV2Using the ReactionHe→3(e→,e′n)pp

2013

A measurement of beam helicity asymmetries in the reaction $^{3}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{He}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{e},{e}^{\ensuremath{'}}n)pp$ is performed at the Mainz Microtron in quasielastic kinematics to determine the electric to magnetic form factor ratio of the neutron ${G}_{E}^{n}/{G}_{M}^{n}$ at a four-momentum transfer ${Q}^{2}=1.58\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. Longitudinally polarized electrons are scattered on a highly polarized $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ gas target. The scattered electrons are detected with a high-resolution magnetic spectrometer, and the ejected neutrons are detected with a dedicated neutron detector composed of scintillator ba…

First measurement of the electric formfactor of the neutron in the exclusive quasielastic scattering of polarized electrons from polarized 3He

1994

Abstract A first measurement of the asymmetry in quasielastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from a polarized 3 He gas target in coincidence with the knocked out neutron is reported. This measurement was made feasible by the cw beam of the 855 MeV Mainz Microtron MAMI. It allows a determination of the electric formfactor of the neutron G E n independent of binding effects to first order. At Q 2 =0.31 ( GeV /c) 2 two asymmetries A ∥ ( S He ∥ q ) and A ⊥ ( S He ⊥ q ) have been measured giving A ∥ =(−7.40±0.73)% and A ⊥ =(0.89±0.30)% . The ratio A ⊥ / A ∥ is independent of the absolute value of the electron and target polarization and yields G E n =0.035±0.012±0.005.

Improved determination of the β−ν¯e angular correlation coefficient a in free neutron decay with the aSPECT spectrometer

2020

We report on a precise measurement of the electron-antineutrino angular correlation ($a$ coefficient) in free neutron beta-decay from the $a$SPECT experiment. The $a$ coefficient is inferred from the recoil energy spectrum of the protons which are detected in 4$\pi$ by the $a$SPECT spectrometer using magnetic adiabatic collimation with an electrostatic filter. Data are presented from a 100 days run at the Institut Laue Langevin in 2013. The sources of systematic errors are considered and included in the final result. We obtain $a = -0.10430(84)$ which is the most precise measurement of the neutron $a$ coefficient to date. From this, the ratio of axial-vector to vector coupling constants is …

Magnetization of3He spin filter cells

2007

A number of valved quartz glass 3He spin filter cells have been repeatedly exposed to various external magnetic fields in order to determine the influence of induced wall magnetization on the relaxation time in the cells. The procedures of magnetizing and degaussing of cells are described. A comparison of T1 measurements performed in the same cell by different methods attest the good reliability of the measurements as well as the time stability of T1 in Cs-coated quartz glass cells. No orientation dependence of the relaxation in fields of 8 G was observed. A strong dependence of T1 on the strengths of external magnetic fields, applied perpendicular to the direction of the guide field used d…

Test of Lorentz invariance with spin precession of ultracold neutrons

2009

A clock comparison experiment, analyzing the ratio of spin precession frequencies of stored ultracold neutrons and $^{199}$Hg atoms is reported. %57 No daily variation of this ratio could be found, from which is set an upper limit on the Lorentz invariance violating cosmic anisotropy field $b_{\bot} &lt; 2 \times 10^{-20} {\rm eV}$ (95% C.L.). This is the first limit for the free neutron. This result is also interpreted as a direct limit on the gravitational dipole moment of the neutron $|g_n| &lt; 0.3 $eV/$c^2$ m from a spin-dependent interaction with the Sun. Analyzing the gravitational interaction with the Earth, based on previous data, yields a more stringent limit $|g_n| &lt; 3 \times …

Determination of the neutron electric form factor from the reaction 3 He(e,e'n) at medium momentum transfer

1999

The electric form factor of the neutron GEn has been determined in double polarized exclusive 3He(e,e'n) scattering in quasi–elastic kinematics by measuring asymmetries A⊥, A∥ of the cross section with respect to helicity reversal of the electron, with the nuclear spin being oriented perpendicular to the momentum transfer q in case of A⊥ and parallel in case of A∥. The experiment was performed at the 855 MeV c. w. microtron MAMI at Mainz. The degree of polarization of the electron beam and of the gaseous 3He target were each about 50%. Scattered electrons and neutrons were detected in coincidence by detector arrays covering large solid angles. Quasi–elastic scattering events were reconstruc…

Direct Experimental Verification of Neutron Acceleration by the Material Optical Potential of SolidH22

2008

We have measured the acceleration of neutrons by the material optical potential of solid $^{2}\mathrm{H}_{2}$. Using a gravitational spectrometer, we find a minimal kinetic energy ${E}_{c}=(99\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}7)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{neV}$ of neutrons from a superthermal ultracold neutron (UCN) source with solid $^{2}\mathrm{H}_{2}$ as an UCN converter. The result is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions, ${E}_{c}=106\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{neV}$.

Systematic T1 improvement for hyperpolarized 129xenon

2015

The spin-lattice relaxation time T1 of hyperpolarized (HP)-(129)Xe was improved at typical storage conditions (i.e. low and homogeneous magnetic fields). Very long wall relaxation times T(1)(wall) of about 18 h were observed in uncoated, spherical GE180 glass cells of ∅=10 cm which were free of rubidium and not permanently sealed but attached to a standard glass stopcock. An "aging" process of the wall relaxation was identified by repeating measurements on the same cell. This effect could be easily removed by repeating the initial cleaning procedure. In this way, a constant wall relaxation was ensured. The Xe nuclear spin-relaxation rate 1/T1(Xe-Xe) due to van der Waals molecules was invest…

Testing isotropy of the universe using the Ramsey resonance technique on ultracold neutron spins

2010

Physics at the Planck scale could be revealed by looking for tiny violations of fundamental symmetries in low energy experiments. In 2008, a sensitive test of the isotropy of the Universe using has been performed with stored ultracold neutrons (UCN), this is the first clock-comparison experiment performed with free neutrons. During several days we monitored the Larmor frequency of neutron spins in a weak magnetic field using the Ramsey resonance technique. An non-zero cosmic axial field, violating rotational symmetry, would induce a daily variation of the precession frequency. Our null result constitutes one of the most stringent tests of Lorentz invariance to date.

Limit on Lorentz-Invariance- and CPT-Violating Neutron Spin Interactions Using a $^3$He-$^{129}$Xe Comagnetometer

2016

We performed a search for a Lorentz-invariance- and CPT-violating coupling of the $^3$He and $^{129}$Xe nuclear spins to posited background fields. Our experimental approach is to measure the free precession of nuclear spin polarized $^3$He and $^{129}$Xe atoms using SQUID detectors. As the laboratory reference frame rotates with respect to distant stars, we look for a sidereal modulation of the Larmor frequencies of the co-located spin samples. As a result we obtain an upper limit on the equatorial component of the background field $\tilde{b}^n_{\bot}&lt; 8.4 \cdot 10^{-34}$ GeV (68\% C.L.). Furthermore, this technique was modified to search for an electric dipole moment (EDM) of $^{129}$X…

A Møller polarimeter for CW and pulsed intermediate energy electron beams

1990

The Moller polarimeter was mainly designed for the cw electron beam of the Mainz microtron (MAMI). The described polarimeter covers an energy range between 25 and 185 MeV and can relatively simply be upgraded to the maximum MAMI energy of 840 MeV. The Moller-scattered electrons are momentum-analyzed in the defocusing plane of a quadrupole magnet and both Moller electrons can be detected in coincidence for symmetrical scattering with ⊖cm=90°. All polarization components of the electron beam can be measured by suitable choices of the orientation of the target polarization. For pulsed electron beams with a small duty factor and a high peak current the polarimeter can also be operated with sing…

Measurement of the Coherent Neutron Scattering Length of (3) He.

2005

By means of neutron interferometry the s-wave neutron scattering length of the (3)He nucleus was re-measured at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). Using a skew symmetrical perfect crystal Si-interferometer and a linear twin chamber cell, false phase shifts due to sample misalignment were reduced to a negligible level. Simulation calculations suggest an asymmetrically alternating measuring sequence in order to compensate for systematic errors caused by thermal phase drifts. There is evidence in the experiment's data that this procedure is indeed effective. The neutron refractive index in terms of Sears' exact expression for the scattering amplitude has been analyzed in order to evaluate the m…

Towards a new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment

2009

International audience; The effort towards a new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) at the Paul Scherrer Institut's (PSI) new high intensity source of ultracold neutrons (UCN) is described. The experimental technique relies on Ramsey's method of separated oscillatory fields, using UCN in vacuum with the apparatus at ambient temperature. In the first phase, R&D towards the upgrade of the RAL/Sussex/ILL apparatus is being performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). In the second phase the apparatus, moved from ILL to PSI, will allow an improvement in experimental sensitivity by a factor of 5. In the third phase, a new spectrometer should gain another order of magnitud…

Search for Spin-Dependent Short-Range Interaction with an 3He/129Xe Clock Comparison Experiment

2016

We performed an experiment to search for a new spin-dependent P- and T-violating nucleon–nucleon interaction [Formula: see text] which is mediated by light pseudoscalar bosons such as axions or axionlike particles. This interaction causes a shift [Formula: see text] in the precession frequency of nuclear spin polarized gases in the presence of an unpolarized mass. In order to measure this frequency shift a 3He/[Formula: see text]Xe comagnetometer was used which is based on the detection of free precession of 3He and [Formula: see text]Xe nuclear spins using SQUIDs as detectors. For the upper limit of [Formula: see text] we obtained 7.1[Formula: see text]nHz. With this value, an upper limit…

SANS polarization analysis at V4 SANS instrument of HMI Berlin

2008

The V4 instrument has recently been upgraded with a 3He spin filter cell, placed directly in the homogeneous field B of the sample magnet, to enhance the SANSPOL option for polarization analysis. The prototype setup was still affected by: (a) a quick relaxation of the 3He nuclear polarization in the cell with a time constant of only ?130 min which significantly changes the spin filter transmissions T+ and T? for neutrons polarized parallel I+ and anti-parallel I? to B, and (b) the absence of a flipping aid behind the sample. The usual polarization analysis procedure, expecting virtually time-independent transmissions and a second flipping device, is therefore not applicable. We present an a…

Observation of Gravitationally Induced Vertical Striation of Polarized Ultracold Neutrons by Spin-Echo Spectroscopy.

2015

We describe a spin-echo method for ultracold neutrons (UCNs) confined in a precession chamber and exposed to a $|B_0|=1~\text{\mu T}$ magnetic field. We have demonstrated that the analysis of UCN spin-echo resonance signals in combination with knowledge of the ambient magnetic field provides an excellent method by which to reconstruct the energy spectrum of a confined ensemble of neutrons. The method takes advantage of the relative dephasing of spins arising from a gravitationally induced striation of stored UCN of different energies, and also permits an improved determination of the vertical magnetic-field gradient with an exceptional accuracy of $1.1~\text{pT/cm}$. This novel combination …

Additional results from the first dedicated search for neutron–mirror neutron oscillations

2008

International audience; The existence of a mirror world holding a copy of our ordinary particle spectrum could lead to oscillations between the neutron (n) and its mirror partner (n′). Such oscillations could manifest themselves in storage experiments with ultracold neutrons whose storage lifetime would depend on the applied magnetic field. Here, extended details and measurements from the first dedicated experimental search for nn′ oscillations published in [G. Ban, K. Bodek, M. Daum, R. Henneck, S. Heule, M. Kasprzak, N. Khomutov, K. Kirch, S. Kistryn, A. Knecht, P. Knowles, M. Kuźniak, T. Lefort, A. Mtchedlishvili, O. Naviliat-Cuncic, C. Plonka, G. Quéméner, M. Rebetez, D. Rebreyend, S. R…

Probing Lorentz invariance and other fundamental symmetries in3He/129Xe clock-comparison experiments

2011

We discuss the design and performance of a very sensitive low-field magnetometer based on the detection of free spin precession of gaseous, nuclear polarized 3He or 129Xe samples with a SQUID as magnetic flux detector. Characteristic spin precession times T*2 of up to 60 h were measured in low magnetic fields (about 1μT) and in the regime of motional narrowing. With the detection of the free precession of co-located 3He/129Xe nuclear spins (clock comparison), the device can be used as ultra-sensitive probe for non-magnetic spin interactions, since the magnetic dipole interaction (Zeeman-term) drops out in the weighted frequency difference, i.e., Δω = ωHe− γHe/γXe·ωXe. We report on searches …

Mikrostruktur der Lunge: Untersuchung mittels Diffusionsmessung von hochpolarisiertem 3Helium

2006

Imaging methods to study the lung are traditionally based on x-ray or on radioactive contrast agents. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has only limited applications for lung imaging because of the low tissue density of protons concentration of hydrogen atoms, which are usually the basis for the imaging. The introduction of hyperpolarized noble gases as a contrast agent in MRI has opened new possibilities for lung diagnosis. The present paper describes this new technique. Diffusion-weighted MRI for assessment of the lung microstructure is presented here as an example of the new possibilities of functional imaging. Studies to determine the sensitivity of the diffusion measurement…