Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the $n=3$ level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the $n=3$ level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.

Physical Review AJul 1, 1981124 citations

Two-photon excitation of the n = 3 level in H and D atoms

Jeffrey Bokor A, Richard R. Freeman, J. C. White +1 more

IEEE Journal of Quantum ElectronicsDec 1, 19813 citations

Three-photon coherence of Rydberg atomic states

Hyo Min Kwak, Taek Jeong, Yoon‐Seok Lee +1 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMay 25, 20160 citations

Two-Photon Rydberg Excitation

Gerard T. Higgins

Springer thesesJan 1, 20191 citation

Doppler-free Stark spectroscopy of the second excited level of atomic hydrogen for measurements of electric fields

M. Gemisic Adamov, Andreas Steiger, Klaus Grutzmacher +1 more

The Stark splitting of the second excited level of atomic hydrogen (with principal quantum number $n=3$ ) has been measured by pulsed laser spectroscopy in order to determine small electric fields by optical means. Doppler-free excitation with two counterpropagating laser beams at $205\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ allows us to measure the $n=3$ Stark spectra either by an optogalvanic signal after ionization by a third laser photon or by detection of the Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence photons emitted by the excited atoms. Three different cases of laser polarization have been investigated in order to evaluate the possibilities and limitations of this one-step laser excitation method for electric field determination, especially at field strengths below $200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}$ . The method provides the best field sensitivity achieved with lower excited levels that can be reached directly by two-photon absorption from the ground state (in contrast to the more sensitive Rydberg levels). For this purpose, an advanced tunable pulsed uv laser with narrow bandwidth almost at the Fourier limit has been used. The high spectral resolution allowed us to deduce electric field strengths as small as $50\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}$ from the frequency shift between two selected isolated Stark components. As a main advantage, this simple analysis of the measured spectra does not rely on knowledge of the line intensities which may be strongly affected by the measuring conditions.The Stark splitting of the second excited level of atomic hydrogen (with principal quantum number $n=3$) has been measured by pulsed laser spectroscopy in order to determine small electric fields by optical means. Doppler-free excitation with two counterpropagating laser beams at $205\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ allows us to measure the $n=3$ Stark spectra either by an optogalvanic signal after ionization by a third laser photon or by detection of the Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence photons emitted by the excited atoms. Three different cases of laser polarization have been investigated in order to evaluate the possibilities and limitations of this one-step laser excitation method for electric field determination, especially at field strengths below $200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}$. The method provides the best field sensitivity achieved with lower excited levels that can be reached directly by two-photon absorption from the ground state (in contrast to the more sensitive Rydberg levels). For this purpose, an advanced tunable pulsed uv laser with narrow bandwidth almost at the Fourier limit has been used. The high spectral resolution allowed us to deduce electric field strengths as small as $50\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}$ from the frequency shift between two selected isolated Stark components. As a main advantage, this simple analysis of the measured spectra does not rely on knowledge of the line intensities which may be strongly affected by the measuring conditions.

Physical Review AJan 11, 200715 citations

Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the

n=3

level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.

Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the

n=3

The Stark splitting of the second excited level of atomic hydrogen (with principal quantum number

n=3

) has been measured by pulsed laser spectroscopy in order to determine small electric fields by optical means. Doppler-free excitation with two counterpropagating laser beams at

205\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}

allows us to measure the

n=3

Stark spectra either by an optogalvanic signal after ionization by a third laser photon or by detection of the Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence photons emitted by the excited atoms. Three different cases of laser polarization have been investigated in order to evaluate the possibilities and limitations of this one-step laser excitation method for electric field determination, especially at field strengths below

200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}

. The method provides the best field sensitivity achieved with lower excited levels that can be reached directly by two-photon absorption from the ground state (in contrast to the more sensitive Rydberg levels). For this purpose, an advanced tunable pulsed uv laser with narrow bandwidth almost at the Fourier limit has been used. The high spectral resolution allowed us to deduce electric field strengths as small as

50\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}

from the frequency shift between two selected isolated Stark components. As a main advantage, this simple analysis of the measured spectra does not rely on knowledge of the line intensities which may be strongly affected by the measuring conditions.