Nuclear electric quadrupole induction of atomic polarization

Precessing nuclear quadrupole moments are observed to induce oscillating electric dipole moments in neighboring atoms. The Cl35 nuclei of a single crystal of NaClO3 placed between the plates of a capacitor are excited into precession by a rf pulse. After the pulse, the electric polarization induced by the chlorine nuclear quadrupole moments produces a voltage across the capacitor, which is amplified with a dc SQUID. This technique provides information on the location and polarizability of atoms near nuclear quadrupole moments in noncentrosymmetric crystals.