By photoionizing hyperfine (HF) levels of the Cs state $6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ in a slow and cold atom beam, we find how their population depends on the excitation laser power. The long time (around $180\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s})$ spent by the slow atoms inside the resonant laser beam is large enough to enable exploration of a unique atom-light interaction regime heavily affected by time-dependent optical pumping. We demonstrate that, under such conditions, the onset of nonlinear effects in the population dynamics and optical pumping occurs at excitation laser intensities much smaller than the conventional respective saturation values. The evolution of population within the HF structure is calculated by numerical integration of the multilevel optical Bloch equations. The agreement between numerical results and experiment outcomes is excellent. All main features in the experimental findings are explained by the occurrence of ``dark'' and ``bright'' resonances leading to power-dependent branching coefficients.By photoionizing hyperfine (HF) levels of the Cs state $6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ in a slow and cold atom beam, we find how their population depends on the excitation laser power. The long time (around $180\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s})$ spent by the slow atoms inside the resonant laser beam is large enough to enable exploration of a unique atom-light interaction regime heavily affected by time-dependent optical pumping. We demonstrate that, under such conditions, the onset of nonlinear effects in the population dynamics and optical pumping occurs at excitation laser intensities much smaller than the conventional respective saturation values. The evolution of population within the HF structure is calculated by numerical integration of the multilevel optical Bloch equations. The agreement between numerical results and experiment outcomes is excellent. All main features in the experimental findings are explained by the occurrence of ``dark'' and ``bright'' resonances leading to power-dependent branching coefficients.

Physical Review AOct 12, 201518 citations

Push-Pull Laser-Atomic Oscillator

Yuan‐Yu Jau, W. Happer

A vapor of alkali-metal atoms in the external cavity of a semiconductor laser, pumped with a time-independent injection current, can cause the laser to self-modulate at the "field-independent 0-0 frequency" of the atoms. Push-pull optical pumping by the modulated light drives most of the atoms into a coherent superposition of the two atomic sublevels with an azimuthal quantum number m=0. The atoms modulate the optical loss of the cavity at the sharply defined 0-0 hyperfine frequency. As in a maser, the system is not driven by an external source of microwaves, but a very stable microwave signal can be recovered from the modulated light or from the modulated voltage drop across the laser diode. Potential applications for this new phenomenon include atomic clocks, the production of long-lived coherent atomic states, and the generation of coherent optical combs.A vapor of alkali-metal atoms in the external cavity of a semiconductor laser, pumped with a time-independent injection current, can cause the laser to self-modulate at the "field-independent 0-0 frequency" of the atoms. Push-pull optical pumping by the modulated light drives most of the atoms into a coherent superposition of the two atomic sublevels with an azimuthal quantum number m=0. The atoms modulate the optical loss of the cavity at the sharply defined 0-0 hyperfine frequency. As in a maser, the system is not driven by an external source of microwaves, but a very stable microwave signal can be recovered from the modulated light or from the modulated voltage drop across the laser diode. Potential applications for this new phenomenon include atomic clocks, the production of long-lived coherent atomic states, and the generation of coherent optical combs.

Physical Review LettersNov 29, 200724 citations

A pumped atom laser

Nicholas P. Robins, C. Figl, Matthew Jeppesen +2 more

arXiv:0711.4418Nature PhysicsJul 11, 200886 citations

Progress towards a continuous atom laser

Mallory Traxler, Cornelius Hempel, Varun Vaidya +1 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMay 20, 20090 citations

Particularities of optical pumping effects in cold and ultra-slow beams of Na and Cs in the case of cyclic transitions

Martins Bruvelis, A. Cinins, Aleksandrs Leitis +5 more

The time-dependent population dynamics of hyperfine (HF) levels of n 2 p 3/2 states is examined for cyclic transitions in alkali atoms. We study a slow and cold atomic beam of Na (n = 3) and Cs (n = 6), taking into account the long interaction time of light with atoms (~200 μs) inside the resonant laser beam. Simple analytical expressions for the populations of the excited states and for the intensities of the absorption lines are derived for a three-level system model. We show that at moderate pump laser power the mixing of HF levels is sufficient to form a flow of population from a cyclic transition to partially open transitions. We discuss various phenomena associated with the evolution of optical pumping that cannot be explained by general analysis of two-level system model.The time-dependent population dynamics of hyperfine (HF) levels of n 2 p 3/2 states is examined for cyclic transitions in alkali atoms. We study a slow and cold atomic beam of Na (n = 3) and Cs (n = 6), taking into account the long interaction time of light with atoms (~200 μs) inside the resonant laser beam. Simple analytical expressions for the populations of the excited states and for the intensities of the absorption lines are derived for a three-level system model. We show that at moderate pump laser power the mixing of HF levels is sufficient to form a flow of population from a cyclic transition to partially open transitions. We discuss various phenomena associated with the evolution of optical pumping that cannot be explained by general analysis of two-level system model.

Optics and SpectroscopyDec 1, 20154 citations

By photoionizing hyperfine (HF) levels of the Cs state

6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}

in a slow and cold atom beam, we find how their population depends on the excitation laser power. The long time (around $180\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s})$ spent by the slow atoms inside the resonant laser beam is large enough to enable exploration of a unique atom-light interaction regime heavily affected by time-dependent optical pumping. We demonstrate that, under such conditions, the onset of nonlinear effects in the population dynamics and optical pumping occurs at excitation laser intensities much smaller than the conventional respective saturation values. The evolution of population within the HF structure is calculated by numerical integration of the multilevel optical Bloch equations. The agreement between numerical results and experiment outcomes is excellent. All main features in the experimental findings are explained by the occurrence of ``dark'' and ``bright'' resonances leading to power-dependent branching coefficients.