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Journal of Physics E Scientific Instruments

Simultaneous detection and velocity analysis for alkali atoms by Doppler shifted laser fluorescence

Ingolf Volker Hertel, H. Hofmann, K. A. Rost

Published Dec 1, 1975• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A method for detecting particles and measuring velocities in an atomic beam is described with experimental results, using high power optical pumping with a tunable c.w. dye laser. Simultaneous detection and velocity analysis is achieved by detecting the resonance fluorescence and measuring the Doppler shift of the excitation frequency. Expressions for the detection efficiency (being around unity) and the velocity resolution (being approximately 60 m s -1 , independent of nu ) are given and verified experimentally for Na atoms.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3735/8/12/014

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The use of highly monochromatic light permits the selective excitation of atoms in vapors if excitation and detection of the fluorescence is carried out collinearly. The atoms capable of absorbing light then form an atomic beam of well-defined velocity along the direction of the laser beam, but no velocity selection occurs perpendicular to it. The potential of the technique for Doppler-free atomic spectroscopy and for the study of excited atom collisions is demonstrated by using the Na D1 line as an example.
We describe a novel atomic beam apparatus with a resistively heated alkali dispenser source and a cold-pumped intermediate chamber. Using laser fluorescence spectroscopy we have measured the atomic density to be 3×1011atoms∕m3 and the total flux to be 5×108atoms∕s in a 0.3cm diameter beam. We have also characterized the velocity distribution of the source based on the Doppler-shifted fluorescence spectrum. The compact geometry, flexibility, and simplicity of the beam may make it useful as an optical frequency reference or for experiments on atom-cooling.
This thesis describes the laser resonance fluorescence correlation technique for single-atom velocity measurement. Using this technique, we have detected individual sodium atoms diffusing through a laser beam in a slow helium flow. From the width of the fluorescence bursts detected, the transit time for the diffusing atom is determined. This is the first measurement of the motion of a single atom in a buffer gas. A probability analysis was developed which allowed us to estimate the average burst size of emitted fluorescence photons by an atom traversing the laser beam. All these results were in general agreement with the theoretical predictions. With improvements, we will be able to measure the velocity of a single-atom either in a flow or in a vacuum. By averaging over many sodium atoms, the diffusion coefficients of sodium atoms in helium and argon buffer gases were investigated using this technique. The measured diffusion coefficients were found to be in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions and previous experimental results. To our knowledge, this is the first application of resonance fluorescence correlation technique to the measurement of diffusion coefficient of fast moving atoms in gases.
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