3 research outputs found
Sub-Doppler spectroscopy of Rb atoms in a sub-micron vapor cell in the presence of a magnetic field
We report the first use of an extremely thin vapor cell (thickness ~ 400 nm)
to study the magnetic-field dependence of laser-induced-fluorescence excitation
spectra of alkali atoms. This thin cell allows for sub-Doppler resolution
without the complexity of atomic beam or laser cooling techniques. This
technique is used to study the laser-induced-fluorescence excitation spectra of
Rb in a 50 G magnetic field. At this field strength the electronic angular
momentum J and nuclear angular momentum I are only partially decoupled. As a
result of the mixing of wavefunctions of different hyperfine states, we observe
a nonlinear Zeeman effect for each sublevel, a substantial modification of the
transition probabilities between different magnetic sublevels, and the
appearance of transitions that are strictly forbidden in the absence of the
magnetic field. For the case of right- and left- handed circularly polarized
laser excitation, the fluorescence spectra differs qualitatively. Well
pronounced magnetic field induced circular dichroism is observed. These
observations are explained with a standard approach that describes the partial
decoupling of I and J states
Intensity correlations in resonance nonlinear magneto-optical rotation
We have studied the intensity correlations between two orthogonally linearly
polarized components of a laser field propagating through a resonant atomic
medium. These experiments have been performed in a Rubidium atomic vapor. We
observe that the correlations between the orthogonally polarized components of
the laser beam are maximal in the absence of a magnetic field. The magnitude of
the correlations depends on the applied magnetic field, and the magnitude first
decreases and then increases with increasing magnetic field. Minimal
correlations and maximal rotation angles are observed at the same magnetic
fields. The width of the correlation function is directly proportional to the
excited state lifetime and inversely proportional to the Rabi frequency of
laser field. These results can be useful for improving optical magnetometers
and for optical field or atomic spin squeezing.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure