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Physical Review A

Polarization measurements of Na 3p 2 P3/2 in Na-Ar, Na-Kr, and Na-Xe optical collisions

D. A. Olsgaard, Mark D. Havey, A. Sieradzan

Published Jun 1, 1991• 11 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Measurements of polarization of the Na 3${\mathit{p}}^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$ level produced in Na-Ar, Na-Kr, and Na-Xe optical collisions are reported. The measurements extend over a range of detunings from 150 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ red to 350 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ blue of resonant excitation of the Na 3p levels. The short-pulse, pump-probe technique employed in the experiments eliminates large systematic effects due to the hyperfine interaction, collisions, and radiative trapping. For far-blue-wing excitation, nearly constant polarizations of 21(2)%, 13(2)%, and 8(2)% are obtained for Na-Ar, Na-Kr, and Na-Xe, respectively.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.43.6117

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Measurements of polarization of the Na 3{\mathit{p}}^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{3/2} level produced in Na-Ar, Na-Kr, and Na-Xe optical collisions are reported. The measurements extend over a range of detunings from 150 cm\ensuremath−1{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}cm\ensuremath−1 red to 350 cm\ensuremath−1{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}cm\ensuremath−1 blue of resonant excitation of the Na 3p levels. The short-pulse, pump-probe technique employed in the experiments eliminates large systematic effects due to the hyperfine interaction, collisions, and radiative trapping. For far-blue-wing excitation, nearly constant polarizations of 21(2)%, 13(2)%, and 8(2)% are obtained for Na-Ar, Na-Kr, and Na-Xe, respectively.
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