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arXiv:2005.13501 · Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Quantum state preparation of hydrogen atoms by hyperfine quenching

Amanda Alencar, Ítalo Prazeres, Carlos R. de Carvalho, François Impens, Aline Medina, N. V. de Castro Faria, Jacques Robert, Ginette Jalbert

Published Sep 9, 2020• 0 citations
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Abstract

Abstract We discuss the use of a region of uniform and constant magnetic field in order to implement a two-state atomic polarizer for an H(2S) beam. We have observed that a device with such field configuration is capable of achieving an efficient polarization for a wide range of magnetic field intensities and atomic velocities. In addition, we establish a criterion that must be met to confirm a successful polarization. That is possible due to a specific beating pattern for the Lyman- α radiation expected for the outgoing two-state atomic beam.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6455/abb6d8

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Abstract We discuss the use of a region of uniform and constant magnetic field in order to implement a two-state atomic polarizer for an H(2S) beam. We have observed that a device with such field configuration is capable of achieving an efficient polarization for a wide range of magnetic field intensities and atomic velocities. In addition, we establish a criterion that must be met to confirm a successful polarization. That is possible due to a specific beating pattern for the Lyman- α radiation expected for the outgoing two-state atomic beam.
This paper examines two theoretical aspects of the measurement of polarization of the quenched radiation which comes from the application of a weak electric field to the 2s2s2s state of hydrogen. Specifically, it outlines the justification of the Bethe-Lamb phenomenological analysis of this problem from the external field approximation of quantum electrodynamics. Further, it includes the lowest-order effects of the JJJ-breaking part of the hyperfine structure in Rayleigh-Schr\"odinger perturbation theory. While it was expected that these terms would contribute to the polarization fraction a correction to the lowest order of the relative size of the ratio of the hyperfine splittings to the fine-structure splitting of the n=2n=2n=2 state or about one part in 103{10}^{3}103, cancellations occur and these JJJ-breaking terms give a correction in the fourth place of the polarization fraction.
The polarization properties of a beam of radiation interacting with a hydrogen atom subject to simultaneous stationary electric and magnetic fields are investigated, assuming no constraints on the direction of the two fields. The problem of determining the energy eigenstates is solved within the theory of Rayleigh-Schrodinger for the stationary perturbations (the contributions of the fine and hyperfine structure of the energy spectrum are also accounted for). Then the polarized transition rates (for absorption, spontaneous emission and stimulated emission) are evaluated according to the methods of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics, adopting the density matrix formalism which allows one to deal with partially polarized states of the atomic and the radiation field systems
The angular distribution of scattered Lyman-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ photons from atomic hydrogen is calculated as a function of an applied magnetic field. The intensity of the scattered radiation is a function of the energy difference of the excited-2P2P2P levels and shows an extremum at the point where two levels cross. Neglecting hyperfine structure, there are two level crossings of interest: one at 3484 G ($2{P}_{\frac{3}{2,\ensuremath{-}\frac{3}{2}}}\ensuremath{-}2{P}_{\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2}}$), and the other 5223G ($2{P}_{\frac{3}{2,\ensuremath{-}\frac{3}{2}}}\ensuremath{-}2{P}_{\frac{1}{2},\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$), respectively. The coher$\stackrel{\mathrm{\ifmmode \breve{}\else \u{}\fi{}}}{\mathrm{e}}$nt and incoherent resonance scattering is determined near these crossing points by using a Hamiltonian that includes hyperfine structure and higher-order radiative effects. In the low-field region (3484 G), the hyperfine crossings that contribute to the coherent signal are at 3476.06 and 3491.93 G, respectively. The radiative width of the levels is considerably larger than the hyperfine splittings, and the total scattering intensity has a single peak at 3483.97 G. In the high-field region (5223 G), two hyperfine levels with ${m}_{F}=\ensuremath{-}1$ repel each other (anticross) with a minimum energy separation of 15.3 Mc/sec at 5200.1 G. Resonances occur at 5220.6 and 5223.9 G, and the maximum of the total signal is at 5222.6 G.
The polarizations of Lyman-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ radiation produced (i) by electron impact on atomic and molecular hydrogen and (ii) by electric field quenching of metastable 2S2S2S hydrogen atoms have been measured. The polarization analyzer was a LiF crystal set at the Brewster angle, with reflected radiation being detected by an iodine-vapor photon counter. Generally good agreement between the measured polarization fractions and recent theoretical predictions was found. The radiation produced by quenching metastable atoms in an electric field was found to be polarized with a polarization fraction of -0.30\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02, which compares with the theoretical value -0.323.