Search for the Nuclear Barnett Effect

Gyromagnetic phenomena have been of interest since the dawn of modern electromagnetic theory. While rotation-induced magnetization in electronic systems has been known for over 100 years, the phenomenon remains largely unexplored in nuclear degrees of freedom. This thesis explores the influence of external angular momentum on nuclear polarization, utilizing optical fields endowed with orbital angular momentum (OAM). To that end, I employ novel holographic methods to project light fields with programmable OAM content into fluid samples. To quantify the OAM in such fields, I introduce new techniques of holographic video microscopy to characterize optical forces. These optical manipulation and detection schemes are combined with standard NMR spectroscopy to reveal the effects of optical forces on the nuclear hyperpolatization of both absorbing and non-absorbing samples. These experiments provide evidence of a non-resonant coupling between the orbital angular momentum of light and nuclear spins