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Title: Demonstration of Vacuum Strain Effects on a Light-Collection Lens Used in Optical Polarimetry
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.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1632778
PAR ID:
10187133
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Applied optics
Volume:
59
Issue:
9
ISSN:
0066-5495
Page Range / eLocation ID:
2715 - 2724
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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