Laser-induced polarization of fission fragments

The necessity and importance of investigations of polarized nuclei is motiv ated and the possibilities of laser spectroscopy for obtaining nuclear pola rization are discussed. Different experimental methods for application of l aser radiation to polarization of fission fragments of heavy elements are p roposed. These fragments cover ranges of nuclides very interesting from the point of view of the nuclear structure. Of especially interest are fission fragments near the shell closures N=50 and N=82 and at the boundary of the deformation regions. It is shown that the laser radiation could be effecti vely used for fission fragment polarization and experiments with polarized fragments could play a role as a new source of information about nuclides f ar off beta -stability.