Patent ID: 6551559
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: A61K,G01R,Y10T

Abstract:
A polarization cell for hyperpolarizing a noble gas comprising a vessel having a space therein holding a quantity of noble gas and alkali metal having a vapor phase therein, wherein said polarization vessel comprises an interior surface coated with a glass coating deposited from a sol-gel and is configured to allow laser energy to enter therein to thereby optically pump the alkali metal vapor, wherein the sol-gel coating is configured to withstand exposures to spin-exchange interactions with the optically pumped alkali metal vapor during hyperpolarization of the noble gas in the polarization vessel, and wherein, during operation, the polarization vessel first holds the noble gas in a non-hyperpolarized state and then, after hyperpolarization, holds the noble gas in a hyperpolarized state.