Physical Review Letters

Zero-Field Quantum Beats in the Electron-Impact Excitation of Sodium

P. J. O. Teubner, J. E. Furst, Michelle Tonkin, Stephen J. Buckman

Published Jun 15, 1981• 13 citations

Abstract

We report the first observation of zero-field quantum beats in the electron-impact excitation of an atomic state. The effect has been observed in electron-photon coincidence experiments on the $3^{2}P$ state in sodium. The beats arise from the influence of the hyperfine structure in the $J=\frac{3}{2}$ level of the excited state.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.46.1569

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Physical Review Letters

Zero-Field Quantum Beats in the Electron-Impact Excitation of Sodium

P. J. O. Teubner, J. E. Furst, Michelle Tonkin, Stephen J. Buckman

Published Jun 15, 1981• 13 citations

Publisher

Abstract

We report the first observation of zero-field quantum beats in the electron-impact excitation of an atomic state. The effect has been observed in electron-photon coincidence experiments on the

3^{2}P

state in sodium. The beats arise from the influence of the hyperfine structure in the

J=\frac{3}{2}

level of the excited state.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.46.1569

Related papers

Hyperfine structure and zero field quantum beats

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AIP conference proceedingsJan 1, 19820 citations

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Photon-echo quantum beats arising from magnetic splitting of the cesium $7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{-}6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ transition were observed in a dilute atomic vapor by means of a novel polarization-rotation technique. The quantum-beat spectrum contains frequencies generated by the hyperfine structure of the $7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ level as well as those due to the Zeeman splitting of both ground and excited levels. Experimental data for both $F=3$ and $F=4$ hyperfine components of the $6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ ground state and for several echo delay times were fitted to calculated spectra, including corrections arising from Faraday rotation of the echo pulses.Photon-echo quantum beats arising from magnetic splitting of the cesium $7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{-}6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ transition were observed in a dilute atomic vapor by means of a novel polarization-rotation technique. The quantum-beat spectrum contains frequencies generated by the hyperfine structure of the $7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ level as well as those due to the Zeeman splitting of both ground and excited levels. Experimental data for both $F=3$ and $F=4$ hyperfine components of the $6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ ground state and for several echo delay times were fitted to calculated spectra, including corrections arising from Faraday rotation of the echo pulses.

Physical Review ANov 1, 197915 citations

We report the first observation of zero-field quantum beats in the electron-impact excitation of an atomic state. The effect has been observed in electron-photon coincidence experiments on the

3^{2}P

state in sodium. The beats arise from the influence of the hyperfine structure in the

J=\frac{3}{2}

level of the excited state.

Electron-photon angular-correlation parameters are given for the

^{2}P

states of sodium which include both fine and hyperfine effects. These expressions contain interference terms between scattering amplitudes which are only observable in angular-correlation experiments and give rise to zero-field quantum beats in the excitation of the

^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}

state. By neglecting fine structure, partial cross sections for the $^{2}P_{J}(F,{M}_{F})\ensuremath{\leftarrow}^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}(F=2,{M}_{F}=2)$ excitations are given in terms of direct and exchange-scattering amplitudes.

We report the observation of fine-structure and Zeeman quantum beats in highly excited sodium

D

states prepared, for the first time in a quantum-beat experiment, by stepwise excitation using two synchronously pulsed dye lasers. We have used this new technique to measure the previously unknown fine-structure intervals of levels

9D

and

10D

of sodium, the values being, respectively, 124.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5 and 91.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1 MHz.

7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}

level as well as those due to the Zeeman splitting of both ground and excited levels. Experimental data for both

F=3

and

F=4

hyperfine components of the

6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}

ground state and for several echo delay times were fitted to calculated spectra, including corrections arising from Faraday rotation of the echo pulses.