Diffuse light scattering in a ultracold
87Rb gas under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency
We report a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of near-resonance light scattering from a high-density and ultracold atomic
87Rb gas. The atomic sample, having a peak density $\ensuremath{\sim}$$5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{13}$ atoms/cm
3, temperature $\ensuremath{\sim}$65 $\ensuremath{\mu}$K, and initially prepared in the
F=1 lower-energy
87Rb hyperfine component, is optically pumped to the higher-energy
F=2 hyperfine level. Measurements are made of the transient hyperfine pumping process and of the time evolution of scattering of near-resonance probe radiation on the $F=2\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{F}^{\ensuremath{'}}=3$ transition. Features of the density, detuning, and temporal dependence of the signals are attributed to the high density and consequent large optical depth of the samples.
We report an experimental study of near resonance light scattering on the component of the line in atomic . Experiments are performed on spatially bi-Gaussian ultracold gas samples having peak densities ranging from about – atoms/cm and for a range of resonance saturation parameters and detunings from atomic resonance. Time resolution of the scattered light intensity reveals the dynamics of light scattering, optical pumping, and saturation effects. The experimental line shape for optical excitation in steady state is found to be significantly narrower than that for the transition studied previously under similar conditions. This difference is qualitatively reproduced by a theoretical model of the two transitions at similar density.