The transfer of spin polarization from laser-polarized helium and xeno
n to spins such as H-1 and C-13 On the surface of high-surface-area so
lids (Aerosil) is demonstrated over a temperature range from 4 to 200
K. The transfer mechanism is dipole-dipole cross relaxation between th
e spins of the adsorbed mobile noble gas and the surface spins (spin-p
olarization-induced nuclear Overhauser effect). The enhancement of sur
face proton magnetization by laser-polarized helium at 4 K and 10 K is
between one and twofold. Using laser-polarized xenon, enhancement fac
tors of up to 20 were obtained when compared to the Boltzmann polariza
tion in a field of 4.2 T and at a temperature of 130 K.