A device which can produce polarized rare gas further improved in
polarization rate with the gas kept flowing, which has flat sheet
surfaces facing each other via a gap, and which comprises, a flat-surface
flow cell unit for allowing a mixture gas of rare gas and
optically-pumping catalyst to flow in the gap there through in one
direction thereof, a laser beam irradiation unit for applying a laser
beam toward at least one of the flat sheet surfaces to apply an
excitation light into the flat-surface flow cell unit, and a magnetic
field application unit for allowing a magnetic line of force to pass
through the laser beam-applied flat sheet surface perpendicularly or
almost perpendicularly; and a method using this device.