Theory of dark resonances for alkali vapors in a buffer-gas cell

We develop an analytical theory of dark resonances that accounts for the full atomic-level structure, as well as all field-induced effects such as coherence preparation, optical pumping, ac Stark shifts, and power broadening. The analysis uses a model based on relaxation constants that assumes the total collisional depolarization of the excited state. A good qualitative agreement with experiments for Cs in Ne is obtained.Comment: 16 pages; 7 figures; revtex4. Accepted for publication in PR

Cancellation of the collisional frequency shift in caesium fountain clocks

We have observed that the collisional frequency shift in primary caesium fountain clocks varies with the clock state population composition and, in particular, is zero for a given fraction of the |F = 4, mF = 0> atoms, depending on the initial cloud parameters. We present a theoretical model explaining our observations. The possibility of the collisional shift cancellation implies an improvement in the performance of caesium fountain standards and a simplification in their operation. Our results also have implications for test operation of fountains at multiple pi/2 pulse areas

A high-sensitivity laser-pumped Mx magnetometer

Abstract.: We discuss the design and performance of a laser-pumped cesium vapor magnetometer in the Mx configuration. The device will be employed in the control and stabilization of fluctuating magnetic fields and gradients in a new experiment searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron. We have determined the intrinsic sensitivity of the device to be 15 fT in a 1 Hz bandwidth, limited by technical laser noise. In the shot noise limit the magnetometer can reach a sensitivity of 10 fT in a 1 Hz bandwidth. We have used the device to study the fluctuations of a stable magnetic field in a multi-layer magnetic shield for integration times in the range of 2-100 seconds. The residual fluctuations for times up to a few minutes are traced back to the instability of the power supply used to generate the fiel

EIT and diffusion of atomic coherence

We study experimentally the effect of diffusion of Rb atoms on Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) in a buffer gas vapor cell. In particular, we find that diffusion of atomic coherence in-and-out of the laser beam plays a crucial role in determining the EIT resonance lineshape and the stored light lifetime.Comment: 5 pages, 8 figure

Buffer-gas induced absorption resonances in Rb vapor

We observe transformation of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) resonance into the absorption resonance in a $\Lambda$ interaction configuration in a cell filled with $^{87}$Rb and a buffer gas. This transformation occurs as a one-photon detuning of the coupling fields is varied from the atomic transition. No such absorption resonance is found in the absence of a buffer gas. The width of the absorption resonance is several times smaller than the width of the EIT resonance, and the changes of absorption near these resonances are about the same. Similar absorption resonances are detected in the Hanle configuration in a buffered cell.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures; 13 pages, 17 figures, added numerical simulatio

On the unique possibility to increase significantly the contrast of dark resonances on D1 line of 87^{87}Rb

We propose and study, theoretically and experimentally, a new scheme of excitation of a coherent population trapping resonance for D1 line of alakli atoms with nuclear spin $I=3/2$ by bichromatic linearly polarized light ({\em lin}$||${\em lin} field) at the conditions of spectral resolution of the excited state. The unique properties of this scheme result in a high contrast of dark resonance for D1 line of $^{87}$Rb.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. This material has been partially presented on ICONO-2005, 14 May 2005, St. Petersburg, Russia. v2 references added; text is changed a bi

Experimental implementation of a four-level N-type scheme for the observation of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency

A nondegenerate four-level N-type scheme was experimentally implemented to observe electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) at the $^{87}$Rb D$_{2}$ line. Radiations of two independent external-cavity semiconductor lasers were used in the experiment, the current of one of them being modulated at a frequency equal to the hyperfine-splitting frequency of the excited 5P$_{3/2}$ level. In this case, apart from the main EIT dip corresponding to the two-photon Raman resonance in a three-level $\Lambda$-scheme, additional dips detuned from the main dip by a frequency equal to the frequency of the HF generator were observed in the absorption spectrum. These dips were due to an increase in the medium transparency at frequencies corresponding to the three-photon Raman resonances in four-level N-type schemes. The resonance shapes are analyzed as functions of generator frequency and magnetic field.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure

A Quantum Scattering Interferometer

The collision of two ultra-cold atoms results in a quantum-mechanical superposition of two outcomes: each atom continues without scattering and each atom scatters as a spherically outgoing wave with an s-wave phase shift. The magnitude of the s-wave phase shift depends very sensitively on the interaction between the atoms. Quantum scattering and the underlying phase shifts are vitally important in many areas of contemporary atomic physics, including Bose-Einstein condensates, degenerate Fermi gases, frequency shifts in atomic clocks, and magnetically-tuned Feshbach resonances. Precise measurements of quantum scattering phase shifts have not been possible until now because, in scattering experiments, the number of scattered atoms depends on the s-wave phase shifts as well as the atomic density, which cannot be measured precisely. Here we demonstrate a fundamentally new type of scattering experiment that interferometrically detects the quantum scattering phase shifts of individual atoms. By performing an atomic clock measurement using only the scattered part of each atom, we directly and precisely measure the difference of the s-wave phase shifts for the two clock states in a density independent manner. Our method will give the most direct and precise measurements of ultracold atom-atom interactions and will place stringent limits on the time variations of fundamental constants.Comment: Corrected formatting and typo