Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

physica status solidi (a)

A New Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy Technique for Studying Adsorption/Desorption Processes at Surfaces

Vladimir G Bordo, Horst‐Günter Rubahn

Published Sep 1, 1999• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present a new spectroscopic technique which utilizes evanescent waves at a gas/glass prism interface for studying adsorption/desorption processes. We have measured the Autler-Townes splitting in the two-evanescent wave fluorescence spectrum of Na atoms in the gas phase as a function of the temperature of a prism surface. A quantitative comparison of measured with calculated spectra has provided values of the adsorption energy, pre-exponential factor for the rate of desorption and linear polarizability of adsorbed Na atoms. A possible extension of this technique to the case of surface plasmon excitation at a metal surface is also exploited.

DOI
10.1002/(sici)1521-396x(199909)175:1<265::aid-pssa265>3.0.co;2-e

Related papers

Laser-controlled adsorption of Na atoms in evanescent wave spectroscopy

Vladimir G Bordo, Horst‐Günter Rubahn

A new spectroscopic technique for studying adsorption of atoms at a transparent dielectric surface is exploited. A quantitative comparison of the Autler-Townes splitting in measured and calculated, surface temperature-dependent two-photon evanescent wave spectra provides values of the adsorption energy, the preexponential factor for the rate of desorption and the polarizability of alkali atoms, adsorbed on a glass surface. It is speculated that this technique could form the basis for future two-photon control of atoms close to dielectric surfaces.

Optics Express•Jan 18, 1999•8 citations

Multiphoton evanescent wave spectroscopy and dynamics

Vladimir G Bordo, Horst‐Guenter Rubahn

Non-intrusive laser-spectroscopical methods for the diagnostics of the gas-surface interaction in the near-field of a dielectric surface have been developed both experimentally and theoretically. The techniques base on either two-photon evanescent wave excitation or combined evanescent-volume wave excitation. Spectra obtained for sodium atoms at a glass-vacuum interface are quantitatively reproduced by a rigorous theoretical approach. In the case of pure evanescent wave excitation the excitation conditions can be chosen such that either the velocity distribution of desorbing atoms is determined or that atom-surface interaction parameters (polarizability of the adsorbed atoms, desorption rate, sticking coefficient) are obtained from the Autler- Townes splitting of the two-photon lines. By the use of combined evanescent-volume wave excitation one is able to distinguish optically between different groups of atoms interacting with the surface and one can extract their two- dimensional velocity distributions. In addition, information is obtained about superelastic scattering of the atoms interacting with the dielectric substrate.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Dec 5, 2001•0 citations

Nonlinear Doppler-free spectroscopy of atoms near a surface

Pierre Simoneau, S. Le Boiteux, C. De Araujo +2 more

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.

International Laser Science Conference•Jan 1, 1986•0 citations

Temperature dependence of the adsorption time of cesium atoms on a glass surface

H.N. de Freitas, P. Chaves de Souza Segundo, Orlando Di Lorenzo +3 more

Summary form only given. Reflection spectroscopy at a dielectric/atomic vapor interface allows one to study the properties of atoms close to a surface, within a depth of the order of the optical wavelength. We report on the use of evanescent wave spectroscopy to determine the temperature dependence of the adsorption time of Cs atoms on the pyrex window of an ordinary optical cell. Saturated absorption (SA) spectroscopy in a vapor is known to be a velocity selective technique, yielding Doppler-free spectra. In the presence of velocity changing collisions, SA spectroscopy can also provide information on the velocity redistribution (the collision kernel) provided that the pumping effect has not been totally washed out in the course of the collisional process.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference•Nov 13, 2002•0 citations

Time-Resolved Measurements of the Adsorption/Desorption of Rb Atoms on Octadecyltrichlorosilane Coated Surfaces

Kang-Jia Liao, Meiling Wang, Guiying Zhang +1 more

We carry out the first time-resolved measurement of Rb atoms desorbing from octadecyltrichlorosilane coated surfaces by polarizing the atoms near the surface using an evanescent wave pump pulse and watching the subsequent intensity change of another evanescent wave probe beam, and find the mean adsorption (dwell) time to be about 400 ns at a cell body temperature of 112°C. The adsorption energy is found to be 0.19 eV from the surface temperature dependence of the adsorption time. This method can be extended to study the adsorption/desorption process of other alkali atoms on other surfaces of transparent substrates with an ultimate time resolution limited by the flight time of atoms in the evanescent wave which is of the order of nanoseconds.

Chinese Physics Letters•Jul 1, 2015•7 citations

Determination of the gas-surface scattering kernel from two-photon evanescent-volume-wave fluorescence spectra

Vladimir G Bordo, Horst‐Günter Rubahn

The gas-surface scattering kernel for Na atoms interacting with a dielectric surface is obtained by measuring and theoretically reproducing two-photon evanescent-volume-wave spectra. From a detailed analysis of the spectral line shapes the contribution of inelastically scattered atoms is identified and a mean energy transfer of 36 meV is deduced for atoms having initial mean thermal energies of 79 meV. The mean probability of direct scattering mediated by surface phonons increases from 0.03 to 0.05 by increasing the surface temperature from 386 K to 398 K.

Physical Review A•Jan 7, 2003•7 citations
We present a new spectroscopic technique which utilizes evanescent waves at a gas/glass prism interface for studying adsorption/desorption processes. We have measured the Autler-Townes splitting in the two-evanescent wave fluorescence spectrum of Na atoms in the gas phase as a function of the temperature of a prism surface. A quantitative comparison of measured with calculated spectra has provided values of the adsorption energy, pre-exponential factor for the rate of desorption and linear polarizability of adsorbed Na atoms. A possible extension of this technique to the case of surface plasmon excitation at a metal surface is also exploited.
A new spectroscopic technique for studying adsorption of atoms at a transparent dielectric surface is exploited. A quantitative comparison of the Autler-Townes splitting in measured and calculated, surface temperature-dependent two-photon evanescent wave spectra provides values of the adsorption energy, the preexponential factor for the rate of desorption and the polarizability of alkali atoms, adsorbed on a glass surface. It is speculated that this technique could form the basis for future two-photon control of atoms close to dielectric surfaces.
Non-intrusive laser-spectroscopical methods for the diagnostics of the gas-surface interaction in the near-field of a dielectric surface have been developed both experimentally and theoretically. The techniques base on either two-photon evanescent wave excitation or combined evanescent-volume wave excitation. Spectra obtained for sodium atoms at a glass-vacuum interface are quantitatively reproduced by a rigorous theoretical approach. In the case of pure evanescent wave excitation the excitation conditions can be chosen such that either the velocity distribution of desorbing atoms is determined or that atom-surface interaction parameters (polarizability of the adsorbed atoms, desorption rate, sticking coefficient) are obtained from the Autler- Townes splitting of the two-photon lines. By the use of combined evanescent-volume wave excitation one is able to distinguish optically between different groups of atoms interacting with the surface and one can extract their two- dimensional velocity distributions. In addition, information is obtained about superelastic scattering of the atoms interacting with the dielectric substrate.
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.
Summary form only given. Reflection spectroscopy at a dielectric/atomic vapor interface allows one to study the properties of atoms close to a surface, within a depth of the order of the optical wavelength. We report on the use of evanescent wave spectroscopy to determine the temperature dependence of the adsorption time of Cs atoms on the pyrex window of an ordinary optical cell. Saturated absorption (SA) spectroscopy in a vapor is known to be a velocity selective technique, yielding Doppler-free spectra. In the presence of velocity changing collisions, SA spectroscopy can also provide information on the velocity redistribution (the collision kernel) provided that the pumping effect has not been totally washed out in the course of the collisional process.
We carry out the first time-resolved measurement of Rb atoms desorbing from octadecyltrichlorosilane coated surfaces by polarizing the atoms near the surface using an evanescent wave pump pulse and watching the subsequent intensity change of another evanescent wave probe beam, and find the mean adsorption (dwell) time to be about 400 ns at a cell body temperature of 112°C. The adsorption energy is found to be 0.19 eV from the surface temperature dependence of the adsorption time. This method can be extended to study the adsorption/desorption process of other alkali atoms on other surfaces of transparent substrates with an ultimate time resolution limited by the flight time of atoms in the evanescent wave which is of the order of nanoseconds.
The gas-surface scattering kernel for Na atoms interacting with a dielectric surface is obtained by measuring and theoretically reproducing two-photon evanescent-volume-wave spectra. From a detailed analysis of the spectral line shapes the contribution of inelastically scattered atoms is identified and a mean energy transfer of 36 meV is deduced for atoms having initial mean thermal energies of 79 meV. The mean probability of direct scattering mediated by surface phonons increases from 0.03 to 0.05 by increasing the surface temperature from 386 K to 398 K.