THE EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE NUCLEAR SPIN RELAXATION OF ¹²⁹Xe

Spin-exchange collisions between polarized ⁸⁷Rb atoms and unpolarized ¹²⁹Xe nuclei have been used to produce nuclear spin polarized ¹²⁹xe. Measurements of the longitudinal relaxation rate of ¹²⁹Xe nuclear polarization have been carried out in a 5.7G magnetic field. The present results show that the nuclear spin relaxation rate of ¹²⁹Xe in ⁸⁷Rb vapor is proportional to the density of the ⁸⁷Rb atoms, and the nuclear spin relaxation rates of ¹²⁹Xe induced by the ⁸⁷Rb atoms depend on the pressure of the buffer gas N₂.