Freezing-out of nuclear polarization in radioactive core ions of microclusters, “snowballs” in superfluid helium

A novel method was tried successfully to trap ions and to freeze out their nuclear polarization inside aggregates of helium atoms, “snowballs”, in superfluid helium. Spin polarized12B (T1/2=20.4 ms) ions were introduced into superfluid helium and snowballs were created around the impinged impurity ions. Beta-ray asymmetry was measured to obtain the nuclear polarization of decaying12B. The comparison with the initial value of12B polarization produces that no relaxation in polarization was observed throughout lifetime of12B.