Photon statistics in resonance fluorescence: results from an atomic-beam deflection experiment

Photon-number statistics in resonance fluorescence is studied through the deflection of a beam of neon atoms in the metastable 3P2 state by radiation pressure. An analysis of the deflection profile leads to experimental values for the Mandel Q parameter as a function of laser intensity and detuning for different laser polarizations. The results confirm the predicted predominantly sub-Poissonian statistics. Good agreement is demonstrated with the results of a Monte Carlo calculation based on a pure-state analysis of resonance fluorescence

Pure state Ne*(*)[|J,M>]-preparation in a magnetic field: polarization effects in ionizing collisions

A compact device (lengh 175 mm) has been built for the energy resolved detection of low energy (1–5 eV) Penning electrons with a 2p solid angle collection efficiency, based on the principle of adiabatic parallelisation of electron motion in a diverging magnetic field. A retarding field analysis is then used as a high pass filter to discriminate between Penning electrons released in collisions of rare gas atoms in metastable and shortlived, laser excited states. The overall detection efficiency is 0.13. The Zeeman-splitting of the atomic levels in the scattering center (maximum B = 222 G) allows the preparation of single magnetic substates |J, MB. By rotating the detector in the collision plane, well defined |J, Mg states can be produced with respect to the relative velocity g, the quantization axis relevant for the collisions. The system has been tested by measuring the collision energy dependence of polarized-atom cross sections JQ|M| for the Ne* [3P2]-Ar and Ne** [3D3]-Ar systems. For the Ne* [3P2] metastable atoms we find 2Q0/2Q2 = 1.55 ± 0.06 and 1.05 ± 0.06 in the thermal and superthermal energy range, respectively, which should be compared to 1.30 of Bregel et al. at thermal energies. For the Ne** [3D3] state we find 3Q0,1/3Q2,3 = 1.65 ± 0.06 and 1.00 ± 0.10 for the same energy ranges

Rabi oscillations in the optical pumping of a metastable neon beam with a cw dye laser

We report the measurement of Rabi oscillations in the optical pumping of a beam of metastable neon atoms in a three-level system with a cw dye laser. The laser beam is focused on the atomic beam, resulting in an interaction time with the laser beam of the order of the spontaneous lifetime of the induced transition. The Rabi oscillations are measured by a velocity-resolved analysis of the optically pumped metastable atoms. Adiabatic following is observed when the atoms cross the laser beam outside the waist, induced by the Doppler shifts due to the curvature of the wave fronts

Pure state Ne*(*)[|J,M>]-preparation in a magnetic field: polarization effects in ionizing collisions

A compact device (lengh 175 mm) has been built for the energy resolved detection of low energy (1–5 eV) Penning electrons with a 2p solid angle collection efficiency, based on the principle of adiabatic parallelisation of electron motion in a diverging magnetic field. A retarding field analysis is then used as a high pass filter to discriminate between Penning electrons released in collisions of rare gas atoms in metastable and shortlived, laser excited states. The overall detection efficiency is 0.13. The Zeeman-splitting of the atomic levels in the scattering center (maximum B = 222 G) allows the preparation of single magnetic substates |J, MB. By rotating the detector in the collision plane, well defined |J, Mg states can be produced with respect to the relative velocity g, the quantization axis relevant for the collisions. The system has been tested by measuring the collision energy dependence of polarized-atom cross sections JQ|M| for the Ne* [3P2]-Ar and Ne** [3D3]-Ar systems. For the Ne* [3P2] metastable atoms we find 2Q0/2Q2 = 1.55 ± 0.06 and 1.05 ± 0.06 in the thermal and superthermal energy range, respectively, which should be compared to 1.30 of Bregel et al. at thermal energies. For the Ne** [3D3] state we find 3Q0,1/3Q2,3 = 1.65 ± 0.06 and 1.00 ± 0.10 for the same energy ranges