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Longitudinal Spin Diffusion in a Nondegenerate Trapped ^{87}Rb Gas
D Niroomand1, S D Graham1, J M McGuirk1
1Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
Abstract:
Longitudinal spin diffusion of two pseudospin domains is studied in a trapped ^{87}Rb sample above quantum degeneracy, and the effect of coherence in the domain wall on the dynamics of the system is investigated. Coherence in a domain wall leads to transverse-spin-mediated longitudinal spin diffusion that is slower than classical predictions, as well as altering the domains' oscillation frequency. The system also shows an instability in the longitudinal spin dynamics as longitudinal and transverse spin components couple, and a conversion of longitudinal spin to transverse spin is observed, resulting in an increase in the total amount of coherence in the system.
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