Abstract
The precision by which an electron spin polarization measurement can be made using a noble-gas polarimeter depends directly on the accuracy of a light-polarization measurement. Since the electron–noble gas collisions occur in a vacuum chamber and the optical polarimeter is generally outside the chamber, this work examines the effect the vacuum window has on the perceived optical polarization. A model light source, lens system, and optical polarimeter are used that approximate the situation found in a typical atomic physics experiment. It was demonstrated that a pressure difference of 1 atm on a lens will alter the perceived polarization by as much as 0.05% with typical borosilicate (BK) lenses. This effect was demonstrated to scale with the thickness of the lens used and changes signs when the direction of the stress is reversed.
© 2020 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
Lisa W. Li, Noah A. Rubin, Michael Juhl, Joon-Suh Park, and Federico Capasso
Appl. Opt. 62(7) 1704-1722 (2023)
Antti Hannonen, Bernhard J. Hoenders, Wolfgang Elsässer, Ari T. Friberg, and Tero Setälä
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 37(5) 714-719 (2020)
James C. Gladish and Donald D. Duncan
Appl. Opt. 53(18) 3982-3992 (2014)