Direct measurement of spin polarization of decaying atoms:
In 2016, TRINAT demonstrated a direct atomic-physics probe of the spin polarization of potassium-37 (37K) nuclei as they decayed. Many spin-polarized decay experiments disturb the polarization or must measure it separately. As reported in the New Journal of Physics (2016), the high accuracy of the polarization achieved (99.1% +/- 0.1%) enabled a sensitive search for wrong-handed neutrinos. The result also demonstrates the potential to measure the polarization to a level of precision which would be competitive in searches for new physics. The paper was selected as one of the journal's 2016 Highlights.