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Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Atomic orientation effects in light scattering due to dissipative processes

M. Ya. Agre, Nikolai L. Manakov

Published Jan 14, 1996• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

It is shown that new effects in light scattering by oriented atoms and in orientation of an unpolarized atomic target due to the light scattering arise when channels of dissipation for the light energy are open. Thus, in scattering of linearly-polarized or unpolarized light, the degree of linear polarization and the angular distribution of scattered light depend on the initial atomic orientation. On the other hand, the orientation of unpolarized atoms appears in the scattering of unpolarized photons without registration of the scattered photon polarization. The orientation vector is perpendicular to the scattering plane, and the effect can be observed in a coincidence experiment.

DOI
10.1088/0953-4075/29/1/003

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It is shown that new effects in light scattering by oriented atoms and in orientation of an unpolarized atomic target due to the light scattering arise when channels of dissipation for the light energy are open. Thus, in scattering of linearly-polarized or unpolarized light, the degree of linear polarization and the angular distribution of scattered light depend on the initial atomic orientation. On the other hand, the orientation of unpolarized atoms appears in the scattering of unpolarized photons without registration of the scattered photon polarization. The orientation vector is perpendicular to the scattering plane, and the effect can be observed in a coincidence experiment.
A compact expression for the cross section of scattering of an arbitrarily polarized light by aligned atomic systems is obtained, in which the dependence on the geometric parameters and the Stokes parameters specifying the state of partial polarization of the incident radiation is represented in explicit form. The effect of atomic alignment and the processes of dissipation of the light energy on the polarization specific features and the angular distribution of the scattered light is investigated. In particular, it is shown that, if a dissipative channel is accessible, the angular distribution and the degree of linear polarization of scattered light depend on the degree of circular polarization of the incident radiation η 2 . Dissipative processes also induce the circular polarization of the light scattered by aligned atoms when η 2 =0.
A compact expression is derived for the cross section of scattering of arbitrarily polarized light by oriented atomic systems, in which the dependence on the geometric parameters and on the Stokes parameters preassigning the state of partial polarization of incident radiation is explicitly separated. It is found that the cross section of any photoprocess accompanied by photon absorption (stimulated emission) contains the sum of the products of the circular and linear dichroisms of the process by the respective Stokes parameters. The effect of the atomic orientation and of the dissipation of light energy on the polarization singularities and angular distribution of scattered light is investigated. In particular, it is demonstrated that, in the case of an open dissipation channel, the angular distribution remains dependent on the atomic orientation even in the case of zero degree of circular polarization of scattered radiation.
A compact expression is derived for the part of the cross section for light scattering by axisymmetrically polarized atomic systems proportional to the third-rank state multipole. The effect of the second-order orientation determined by this state multipole on the polarization and angular distribution of the scattered light is studied. The polarization of the incident light can be arbitrary and is specified by the Stokes parameters. A number of orientation effects in the scattering process are shown to be induced precisely by the second-order orientation. In particular, when nonpolarized light is scattered by an oriented atom, the scattering intensity in the perpendicular direction depends on the second-order orientation alone. The second-order orientation also preserves circular dichroism in the linear polarization of the forward-and back-scattered light.
Unpolarized Auger electrons with an isotropic angular distribution are predicted for a primary excitation or ionization of initially unpolarized atoms using completely linearly polarized photons. This phenomenon depends neither on the alignment of the intermediate state nor on the dynamics of the Auger decay and can be observed within a reaction plane that is oriented perpendicular to the direction of the classical electric field vector. A full qualitative and quantitative analysis of this behaviour is given. The effect can be utilized experimentally to generate unpolarized electrons of a fixed energy.
An expression for the cross section of light scattering by axisymmetrically aligned atomic systems is derived in a compact form. The cross section under consideration is proportional to the state multipole of the fourth rank. The effect of the second-order alignment determined by the fourth-rank state multipole on the polarization and the angular distribution of scattered light is investigated. The polarization of incident light can be arbitrary and, in the general case, is specified by the Stokes parameters. In particular, it is demonstrated that the second-order alignment cannot induce circular polarization of scattered light and does not influence the dissipation-induced effects of circular dichroism associated with the first-order alignment but leads to a change in the angular distribution and the degree of linear polarization of the scattered light.
Sodium atoms have been oriented by means of circularly polarized resonance radiation. The amount of orientation agrees with that calculated from the intensity of the light source used. The polarization of the light scattered from the sodium sample varies in the expected manner when the light intensity and applied magnetic field are varied. Illumination with unpolarized resonance radiation is shown to result in alignment of the sodium atoms. The largest degree of orientation achieved corresponds to an average value for the nuclear, electronic, and total angular momenta of M‾I=0.180=0.120I{\overline{M}}_{I}=0.180=0.120IMI​=0.180=0.120I, M‾S=0.035=0.070S{\overline{M}}_{S}=0.035=0.070SMS​=0.035=0.070S, M‾F=0.216=0.108F{\overline{M}}_{F}=0.216=0.108FMF​=0.216=0.108F, respectively.