Spectral narrowing in selective reflection

J. P. Woerdman, Martin F. H. Schuurmans

T. A. Vartanyan

Martin F. H. Schuurmans

A theory for the spectral narrowing of selective reflection near a resonance line of an atomic vapor is developed. The narrowing is ascribed to transient polarization behaviour of vapor atoms associated with wall collisions. For normally incident light the reflectivity of a glass-vapor interface is calculated both for diffuse and for specular wall collisions and for a symmetric distribution of atomic velocities. The theoretical results are compared with recent experimental results.

Vladimir A. Sautenkov, Hebin Li, M A Gubin +2 more

We have studied the selective reflection from glass-rubidium vapor interface at a large incidence angle in pump-probe experiment. The linear reflectivity can be more than 0.9 in a narrow spectral range (several GHz) at the blue side of the atomic resonance. The effect can be called the reduced total selective reflection. The reflectivity has been decreased two times due to the optical saturation. The obtained results can be used to develop a variable optical filter or optical switcher. Our estimations show that switching time can be less than the natural lifetime of the excited state. We suggested a multi-reflection scheme to increase the contrast of the variable spectral filter.

Yoav Sagi, Rami Pugatch, Ido Almog +1 more

Jingzhong Guo, J. Cooper, Alan C. Gallagher +1 more