Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Buffer-gas-induced linewidth reduction of coherent dark resonances to below 50 Hz

Sebastián Brandt, A. Nagel, R. Wynands, Dieter Meschede

Published Aug 1, 1997• 206 citations
Publisher

Abstract

When neon is introduced as a buffer gas the interaction time of cesium atoms in a vapor cell with resonant laser beams is drastically increased. Using a pair of phase-locked lasers we have observed linewidths as narrow as $42 $Hz for coherent dark resonances in a cesium vapor cell. We study the influence of power and pressure broadening and systematic shifts of the resonance frequency. Our experiments demonstrate that coherent dark resonances could rival direct radio-frequency precision measurements, which have a wide range of applications in physics.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.56.r1063

Related papers

Precision measurements with coherent dark resonances

R. Wynands, A. Nagel, L. Graf +3 more

Summary form only given.We consider coherent dark resonances in Cs vapor cells where the effective interaction time between atoms and light is increased through the addition of a buffer gas or through a coating of the cell walls with siloxane. The light sources are two diode lasers phase locked at 9.2 GHz frequency difference, corresponding to the hyperfine splitting of cesium. The phase-locked loop eliminates difference frequency jitter and leads to resonances narrower than 50 Hz, which can be applied to various precision experiments.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Nov 27, 2002•0 citations

Characterizing passive coherent population trapping resonance in a cesium vapor cell filled with neon buffer gas

Zhi Liu, Jieying Wang, Wen-Ting Diao +2 more

We present a pair of phase-locked lasers with a 9.2-GHz frequency difference through the injection locking of a master laser to the RF-modulation sideband of a slave diode laser. Using this laser system, a coherent population trapping (CPT) signal with a typical linewidth of ∼ 182 Hz is obtained in a cesium vapor cell filled with 30 Torr (4 kPa) of neon as the buffer gas. We investigate the influence of the partial pressure of the neon buffer gas on the CPT linewidth, amplitude, and frequency shift. The results may offer some references for CPT atomic clocks and CPT atomic magnetometers.

Chinese Physics B•Apr 1, 2013•3 citations

Power broadening and Doppler effects of coherent dark resonances in Rb

Michael Erhard, S. Nußmann, Hanspeter Helm

Using a phase-locked laser pair we have observed dark resonances with linewidths below 30 Hz in a rubidium cell filled with neon as buffer gas. A model allowing for pressure broadening correctly reproduces the dependence of the width on the laser intensity. Consideration of velocity changing collisions reveals the absence of Doppler effects in the position and width of the dark resonance at high buffer-gas pressure.

Physical Review A•Nov 3, 2000•27 citations

Dark-line atomic resonances in submillimeter structures

Svenja A. Knappe, Leo W. Hollberg, John E. Kitching

We present measurements of dark-line resonances excited in cesium atoms confined in submillimeter cells with a buffer gas. The width and contrast of the resonances were measured for cell lengths as low as 100 microm. The measured atomic Q factors are reduced in small cells because of frequent collisions of atoms with the cell walls. However, the contrast of coherent population trapping resonances measured in the small cells is similar in magnitude to that obtained in centimeter-sized cells, but substantially more laser intensity is needed to excite the resonance fully when increased buffer-gas pressure is used. The effect of the higher intensity on the linewidth is reduced because the intensity broadening rate decreases with buffer-gas pressure.

Optics Letters•Feb 15, 2004•43 citations

A frequency reference based in VCSEL-driven dark line resonances in Cs vapor

John E. Kitching, N. Vukičević, Alexander S. Zibrov +4 more

Summary form only given. We report on recent experiments to use dark line coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in cesium vapor as the basis for a compact frequency reference. The resonance is excited by directly modulating the injection current of a VCSEL at one-half the ground state hyperfine transition of Cs (4.6 GHz) to produce RF sidebands on the optical carrier. The laser output is then passed through a room-temperature cell containing Cs at its vapor pressure together with 8.7 kPa of Neon buffer gas and the transmitted optical power is detected in a photodiode. When the laser carrier is tuned half way between the two hyperfine components of the D/sub 2/ line at 852 nm, and the RF modulation frequency is adjusted to be equal to one-half the hyperfine splitting, the absorption of the sidebands through the cell is slightly reduced due to the CPT effect. As the RF frequency is scanned over the resonance, lock-in detection is used to produce a /spl sim/1 kHz wide dispersive error signal which is in turn used to stabilize the modulation frequency. The narrow signal is the result of the buffer gas, which reduces the time-of-flight broadening of the transition.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference•May 7, 2000•1 citation

Light shift of coherent population trapping resonances

A. Nagel, Sebastián Brandt, Dieter Meschede +1 more

We have measured the spectral position of the absorption minimum in a coherent population trapping resonance in thermal cesium vapor as a function of light intensity. The dependence of position on intensity is found to be almost linear. We have furthermore studied the dependence of this light shift on neon buffer gas pressure and find a strong reduction for higher pressures. So the addition of a buffer gas not only reduces the linewidth of the resonance but also a very important systematic effect for precision measurements.

Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Nov 15, 1999•31 citations
When neon is introduced as a buffer gas the interaction time of cesium atoms in a vapor cell with resonant laser beams is drastically increased. Using a pair of phase-locked lasers we have observed linewidths as narrow as 4242 42Hz for coherent dark resonances in a cesium vapor cell. We study the influence of power and pressure broadening and systematic shifts of the resonance frequency. Our experiments demonstrate that coherent dark resonances could rival direct radio-frequency precision measurements, which have a wide range of applications in physics.
Summary form only given.We consider coherent dark resonances in Cs vapor cells where the effective interaction time between atoms and light is increased through the addition of a buffer gas or through a coating of the cell walls with siloxane. The light sources are two diode lasers phase locked at 9.2 GHz frequency difference, corresponding to the hyperfine splitting of cesium. The phase-locked loop eliminates difference frequency jitter and leads to resonances narrower than 50 Hz, which can be applied to various precision experiments.
We present a pair of phase-locked lasers with a 9.2-GHz frequency difference through the injection locking of a master laser to the RF-modulation sideband of a slave diode laser. Using this laser system, a coherent population trapping (CPT) signal with a typical linewidth of ∼ 182 Hz is obtained in a cesium vapor cell filled with 30 Torr (4 kPa) of neon as the buffer gas. We investigate the influence of the partial pressure of the neon buffer gas on the CPT linewidth, amplitude, and frequency shift. The results may offer some references for CPT atomic clocks and CPT atomic magnetometers.
We present measurements of dark-line resonances excited in cesium atoms confined in submillimeter cells with a buffer gas. The width and contrast of the resonances were measured for cell lengths as low as 100 microm. The measured atomic Q factors are reduced in small cells because of frequent collisions of atoms with the cell walls. However, the contrast of coherent population trapping resonances measured in the small cells is similar in magnitude to that obtained in centimeter-sized cells, but substantially more laser intensity is needed to excite the resonance fully when increased buffer-gas pressure is used. The effect of the higher intensity on the linewidth is reduced because the intensity broadening rate decreases with buffer-gas pressure.
Summary form only given. We report on recent experiments to use dark line coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in cesium vapor as the basis for a compact frequency reference. The resonance is excited by directly modulating the injection current of a VCSEL at one-half the ground state hyperfine transition of Cs (4.6 GHz) to produce RF sidebands on the optical carrier. The laser output is then passed through a room-temperature cell containing Cs at its vapor pressure together with 8.7 kPa of Neon buffer gas and the transmitted optical power is detected in a photodiode. When the laser carrier is tuned half way between the two hyperfine components of the D/sub 2/ line at 852 nm, and the RF modulation frequency is adjusted to be equal to one-half the hyperfine splitting, the absorption of the sidebands through the cell is slightly reduced due to the CPT effect. As the RF frequency is scanned over the resonance, lock-in detection is used to produce a /spl sim/1 kHz wide dispersive error signal which is in turn used to stabilize the modulation frequency. The narrow signal is the result of the buffer gas, which reduces the time-of-flight broadening of the transition.
We have measured the spectral position of the absorption minimum in a coherent population trapping resonance in thermal cesium vapor as a function of light intensity. The dependence of position on intensity is found to be almost linear. We have furthermore studied the dependence of this light shift on neon buffer gas pressure and find a strong reduction for higher pressures. So the addition of a buffer gas not only reduces the linewidth of the resonance but also a very important systematic effect for precision measurements.