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Physical Review Letters

Double-Velocity Selection with Optical Pumping

Lucile Julien, M. Pinard, Franck Laloë

Published Aug 24, 1981• 12 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe a method allowing the extension of Doppler-free spectroscopy to the selection of more than one velocity component of atoms in a gas. This method has been demonstrated experimentally with metastable neon atoms, in a geometry where two velocity components are determined, and transitions in atoms with zero velocity in a plane have been observed.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.47.564

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Selection of motionless atoms with optical pumping

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The velocity selective optical pumping method has been extended to the selection of three components of the atomic velocities. Three non-coplanar pumping beams and a detection beam are used, all of them originating from the same laser. The signal proceeds from crossed non-linear effects depending on each of the pumping-beam intensities. This method has been demonstrated experimentally with metastable neon atoms and signals have been obtained due to almost motionless atoms in space.

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Optical pumping via a velocity-selective state

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We present a new scheme of sub-Doppler laser cooling for atoms used in atomic frequency standards, particularly for 40Ca. We perform calculations concerning optical pumping via a velocity- selective state based upon velocity-selective coherent population trapping. Optical pumping on the Raman transition 41S0- 41P1-31D2 leads to population of the metastable singlet state followed by a decay into the metastable triplet state 4P1. The momentum distribution of atoms in that state (with a half-maximum width of about one corresponding photon recoil momentum) is a direct replica of the distribution of atoms in the 3D2 state.

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Doppler-free spectroscopy of high density atomic vapor has been demonstrated using copropagating pump-probe selective reflection. The observed narrow resonance has been interpreted theoretically taking account of the saturation of the atomic vapor. Our theory predicts that the saturation effect due to optical pumping is not uniform over the Doppler-broadened transition and is prominent at zero velocity.

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics•Jul 1, 1996•0 citations
We describe a method allowing the extension of Doppler-free spectroscopy to the selection of more than one velocity component of atoms in a gas. This method has been demonstrated experimentally with metastable neon atoms, in a geometry where two velocity components are determined, and transitions in atoms with zero velocity in a plane have been observed.
Up to now, Doppler-free nonlinear spectroscopy has been applied to atoms inside a gas medium (volume spectroscopy). We have extended these methods to atoms in the vicinity of a surface. The basic principle consists of monitoring reflectivity changes produced when a laser beam, incident on a glass–vapor interface, is brought into resonance with an atomic transition. For Doppler-free spectroscopy, two counterpropagating beams are used to operate velocity selection. If these two beams are under normal incidence in the glass—velocity selection perpendicular to the surface—one observes saturated dispersion (selective reflection sensitive to the real index). For incidence angles in the glass (prism) larger than the critical angle (total internal reflection), a standing evanescent wave is produced in the gas (velocity selection along the surface), and saturated absorption is detected. Experimental demonstration was performed on the Na resonance line; high sensitivity (10−4 relative reflectivity change) and spectral resolution as good as 20 MHz were obtained. The main limitation to better resolution comes from the short atomic transit time in the evanescent wave (typical extension ~λ). Relevant applications of these techniques should also concern the diagnostics of optically thick media, as analysis of interaction between gas-phase atoms and the surface, notably atom–wall collisions, and modification of the spontaneous emission characteristics.
We describe a spectroscopic method combining saturated absorption and Zeeman optical pumping. A weak expanded monochromatic laser beam creates a velocity-correlated orientation in an atomic level without optical saturation. A polarization-modulated counterpropagating detection beam provides signals related to simple atomic observables. Combination with magnetic resonance techniques is described. We have applied this method to metastable states of Ne, with nuclear or electronic orientation. Effects of velocity-changing, depolarization (Kastler- or Dehmelt-type pumping) or metastability exchange collisions are discussed.
A scheme of Doppler-free spectroscopy is experimentally demonstrated with a co-propagating control laser locking to an atomic hyperfine transition, and the differential transmission of the probe and the reference laser is detected. Crossover resonances are eliminated by selecting the class of atoms with zero velocity in the direction of beam propagation. In addition, the sub-Doppler spectrum experiences optical gain compared to the conventional saturated-absorption spectrum as a result of optical pumping.
We present a new scheme of sub-Doppler laser cooling for atoms used in atomic frequency standards, particularly for 40Ca. We perform calculations concerning optical pumping via a velocity- selective state based upon velocity-selective coherent population trapping. Optical pumping on the Raman transition 41S0- 41P1-31D2 leads to population of the metastable singlet state followed by a decay into the metastable triplet state 4P1. The momentum distribution of atoms in that state (with a half-maximum width of about one corresponding photon recoil momentum) is a direct replica of the distribution of atoms in the 3D2 state.