Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics
Mollow splitting of the Na D fluorescence lines in an Ar-filled vapour cell
A R D van Bergen, H. J. van Halewijn, Tj. Hollander, Cornelis Th. J. Alkemade
Abstract
The authors have measured time-resolved fluorescence spectra of the Na D lines in an Ar-filled vapour cell, excited by a high-intensity, pulsed dye laser of narrow bandwidth, which was tuned near the D 1 line. The results were compared with a recent theory which also takes into account the polarisation of the laser and the Zeeman degeneracy of the atomic levels. In particular, they predicted and observed a splitting into two components of the D 2 line (whose upper level is populated by mixing collisions), which is a new effect. Because of experimental difficulties, however, they obtained at most a semiquantitative agreement between theory and experiment.