Elastic scattering from ${\mathrm{He}}^4$ gas in the energy region of the 1.07-Mev resonance has been used to polarize deuterons. After scattering through 30° in the lab by the polarizer, the polarization of the deuteron beam has been analyzed by the reaction ${\mathrm{He}}^3(d, p){\mathrm{He}}^4$ near 400 kev. This was accomplished by observing protons at 0° and 90°, and measuring the dependence of the counting rate ratio on the deuteron polarization. ${\mathrm{He}}^3(d, p){\mathrm{He}}^4$ is well described in this energy region by a single-level Breit-Wigner formula, and therefore has a predictable sensitivity to deuteron polarization. The experimental results are consistent with the magnitude of the polarization component $〈T_{20}〉$ calculated from the $d-\alpha$ phase-shift analysis.

• Received 13 October 1960

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.121.1192