Faraday rotation of broadband VUV light by optically-dense Xe atoms

The diamagnetic Faraday rotation of broadband vacuum ultraviolet light was investigated for the xenon gas of thermal nuclear-spin polarization. The smaller and blue-shifted signals were observed due to the molecular absorption at the high xenon-gas pressure. For a dilute xenon gas, the rotation signals were measured in the buffer gas up to 30 kPa. The pressure broadening of atomic line was obtained from the measurements and the calculations of signal amplitude with various pressures of helium gas. Based on the observed diamagnetic rotation, the nuclear paramagnetic Faraday rotation was estimated for spin polarized xenon gas.