Hyperpolarization (physics)

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Hyperpolarization is the spin polarization of the atomic nuclei of a material in a magnetic field far beyond thermal equilibrium conditions determined by the Boltzmann distribution.^[1] It can be applied to gases such as ¹²⁹Xe and ³He, and small molecules where the polarization levels can be enhanced by a factor of 10⁴–10⁵ above thermal equilibrium levels. Hyperpolarized noble gases are typically used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lungs.^[2] Hyperpolarized small molecules are typically used for in vivo metabolic imaging. For example, a hyperpolarized metabolite can be injected into animals or patients and the metabolic conversion can be tracked in real-time. Other applications include determining the function of the neutron spin-structures by scattering polarized electrons from a very polarized target (³He), surface interaction studies, and neutron polarizing experiments.^[3]