HE-3 NUCLEAR-SPIN RELAXATION IN CESIUM COATED CELLS AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE

The relaxation time T-1 of He-3 gas, nuclearly polarized by optical pu mping, has been significantly increased by internally coating the glas s cells with cesium. Values of T-1 of order 45 hours were recorded at room temperature, resulting from collisions of the atoms with the cell wall. The possibility of keeping nuclear polarization for several day s opens up new possibilities in NMR He-3 magnetometry. Empirical means for characterizing the cesium coatings are proposed.