Hyperfine-interaction- and magnetic-field-induced Bose-Einstein-statistics suppressed two-photon transitions

Two-photon transitions between atomic states of total electronic angular momentum $J_a=0$ and $J_b=1$ are forbidden when the photons are of the same energy. This selection rule is analogous to the Landau-Yang theorem in particle physics that forbids decays of vector particle into two photons. It arises because it is impossible to construct a total angular momentum $J_{2\gamma}=1$ quantum-mechanical state of two photons that is permutation symmetric, as required by Bose-Einstein statistics. In atoms with non-zero nuclear spin, the selection rule can be violated due to hyperfine interactions. Two distinct mechanisms responsible for the hyperfine-induced two-photon transitions are identified, and the hyperfine structure of the induced transitions is evaluated. The selection rule is also relaxed, even for zero-nuclear-spin atoms, by application of an external magnetic field. Once again, there are two similar mechanisms at play: Zeeman splitting of the intermediate-state sublevels, and off-diagonal mixing of states with different total electronic angular momentum in the final state. The present theoretical treatment is relevant to the ongoing experimental search for a possible Bose-Einstein-statistics violation using two-photon transitions in barium, where the hyperfine-induced transitions have been recently observed, and the magnetic-field-induced transitions are being considered both as a possible systematic effect, and as a way to calibrate the measurement

Magneto-Optical Cooling of Atoms

We propose an alternative method to laser cooling. Our approach utilizes the extreme brightness of a supersonic atomic beam, and the adiabatic atomic coilgun to slow atoms in the beam or to bring them to rest. We show how internal-state optical pumping and stimulated optical transitions, combined with magnetic forces can be used to cool the translational motion of atoms. This approach does not rely on momentum transfer from photons to atoms, as in laser cooling. We predict that our method can surpass laser cooling in terms of flux of ultra-cold atoms and phase-space density, with lower required laser power and reduced complexity

Magneto-optical rotation of spectrally impure fields and its nonlinear dependence on optical density

We calculate magneto-optical rptation of spectrally impure fileds in an optically thick cold atmic medium. We show that the spectral impurity leads to non-linear dependence of the rotation angle on optical density. Using our calculations, we provide a quanttative analysis of the recent experimental results of G. Labeyrie et al. [Phys. Rev. A 64, 033402 (2001)] using cold Rb$^{85}$ atoms.Comment: 6 pages, 5 Figures, ReVTeX4, Submitted to PR

High-Spatial-Resolution Monitoring of Strong Magnetic Field using Rb vapor Nanometric-Thin Cell

We have implemented the so-called $\lambda$-Zeeman technique (LZT) to investigate individual hyperfine transitions between Zeeman sublevels of the Rb atoms in a strong external magnetic field $B$ in the range of $2500 - 5000$ G (recently it was established that LZT is very convenient for the range of $10 - 2500$ G). Atoms are confined in a nanometric thin cell (NTC) with the thickness $L = \lambda$, where $\lambda$ is the resonant wavelength 794 nm for Rb $D_1$ line. Narrow velocity selective optical pumping (VSOP) resonances in the transmission spectrum of the NTC are split into several components in a magnetic field with the frequency positions and transition probabilities depending on the $B$-field. Possible applications are described, such as magnetometers with nanometric local spatial resolution and tunable atomic frequency references.Comment: 12 page

A large sample study of spin relaxation and magnetometric sensitivity of paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells

We have manufactured more than 250 nominally identical paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells (30 mm diameter bulbs) for multi-channel atomic magnetometer applications. We describe our dedicated cell characterization apparatus. For each cell we have determined the intrinsic longitudinal, \sGamma{01}, and transverse, \sGamma{02}, relaxation rates. Our best cell shows \sGamma{01}/2\pi\approx 0.5 Hz, and \sGamma{02}/2\pi\approx 2 Hz. We find a strong correlation of both relaxation rates which we explain in terms of reservoir and spin exchange relaxation. For each cell we have determined the optimal combination of rf and laser powers which yield the highest sensitivity to magnetic field changes. Out of all produced cells, 90% are found to have magnetometric sensitivities in the range of 9 to 30 fTHz. Noise analysis shows that the magnetometers operated with such cells have a sensitivity close to the fundamental photon shot noise limit

Storage and perpendicular retrieving of two-dimensional pulses in electromagnetically induced transparency media

Propagation of two dimensional pulses in electromagnetically induced tranparency media in the case of perpendicular storing and retrieving pulses has been analyzed. It has been shown that propagation control of the pulses in optically thick media can be used for producing interchange between pulse time-shape and intensity profile distribution. A simple obvious analytical solution for the retrieved new field has been obtained.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Production of long-lived atomic vapor inside high-density buffer gas

Atomic vapor of four different paramagnetic species: gold, silver, lithium, and rubidium, is produced and studied inside several buffer gases: helium, nitrogen, neon, and argon. The paramagnetic atoms are injected into the buffer gas using laser ablation. Wires with diameters 25 $\mu$m, 50 $\mu$m, and 100 $\mu$m are used as ablation targets for gold and silver, bulk targets are used for lithium and rubidium. The buffer gas cools and confines the ablated atoms, slowing down their transport to the cell walls. Buffer gas temperatures between 20 K and 295 K, and densities between $10^{16}$ cm$^{-3}$ and $2\times10^{19}$ cm$^{-3}$ are explored. Peak paramagnetic atom densities of $10^{11}$ cm$^{-3}$ are routinely achieved. The longest observed paramagnetic vapor density decay times are 110 ms for silver at 20 K and 4 ms for lithium at 32 K. The candidates for the principal paramagnetic-atom loss mechanism are impurities in the buffer gas, dimer formation and atom loss on sputtered clusters.Comment: Some minor editorial changes and corrections, added reference