Physics Commons^™

Observation Of Beam-Induced Changes In The Polarization Of Balmer-Α Radiation Emitted Following Beam--Tilted-Foil Transmission, Wang Qi, David D. Allred, Larry V. Knight, Douglas L. Harper, Royal G. Albridge, Norman H. Tolk

Faculty Publications

Measurements of the circular polarization of Balmer-α radiation emitted by excited hydrogen atoms, following the transmission of (20-50)-keV protons through thin, tilted amorphous carbon foils, exhibit markedly unexpected behavior as a function of exposure of the foil to the proton beam. Specifically, the circular polarization changes from an initially well understood tilt-angle dependence to a behavior which, for low tilt angles, gives the opposite handedness of circular polarization from that predicted. In addition, the degree of alignment, indicated by the linear Stokes parameter M/I, is enhanced also as a function of dose. These changes in the tilt-angle dependence of the …