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Physical Review A

Spectroscopy in an extremely thin vapor cell: Comparing the cell-length dependence in fluorescence and in absorption techniques

David G. Sarkisyan, T. Varzhapetyan, A. S. Sarkisyan, Yu. P. Malakyan, A. Papoyan, A. Lezama, Daniel Bloch, M. Ducloy

Published Jun 25, 2004• 110 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We compare the behavior of absorption and of resonance fluorescence spectra in an extremely thin Rb vapor cell as a function of the ratio of $L∕\ensuremath{\lambda}$, with $L$ the cell thickness $(L\ensuremath{\sim}150--1800\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})$ and $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ the wavelength of the Rb ${D}_{2}$ line $(\ensuremath{\lambda}=780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mn})$. The Dicke-type coherent narrowing [G. Dutier et al., Europhys. Lett. 63, 35 (2003)] is observed only in transmission measurements, in the linear regime, with its typical collapse and revival, which reaches a maximum for $L=(2n+1)\ensuremath{\lambda}∕2$ ($n$ integer). It is shown not to appear in fluorescence, whose behavior-amplitude, and spectral width, is more monotonic with $L$. Conversely, at high-intensity, the sub-Doppler saturation effects are shown to be the most visible in transmission around $L=n\ensuremath{\lambda}$.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.69.065802

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We compare the behavior of absorption and of resonance fluorescence spectra in an extremely thin Rb vapor cell as a function of the ratio of L∕\ensuremathλL∕\ensuremath{\lambda}L∕\ensuremathλ, with LLL the cell thickness (L\ensuremath∼150−−1800nm)(L\ensuremath{\sim}150--1800\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})(L\ensuremath∼150−−1800nm) and \ensuremathλ\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremathλ the wavelength of the Rb D2{D}_{2}D2​ line (\ensuremathλ=780mn)(\ensuremath{\lambda}=780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mn})(\ensuremathλ=780mn). The Dicke-type coherent narrowing [G. Dutier et al., Europhys. Lett. 63, 35 (2003)] is observed only in transmission measurements, in the linear regime, with its typical collapse and revival, which reaches a maximum for L=(2n+1)\ensuremathλ∕2L=(2n+1)\ensuremath{\lambda}∕2L=(2n+1)\ensuremathλ∕2 (nnn integer). It is shown not to appear in fluorescence, whose behavior-amplitude, and spectral width, is more monotonic with LLL. Conversely, at high-intensity, the sub-Doppler saturation effects are shown to be the most visible in transmission around L=n\ensuremathλL=n\ensuremath{\lambda}L=n\ensuremathλ.
Saturation effects affecting absorption and fluorescence spectra of an atomic vapor confined in an extremely thin cell (cell thickness $L<1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$) are investigated experimentally and theoretically. The study is performed on the D2{D}_{2}D2​ line $(\ensuremath{\lambda}=852\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})$ of Cs and concentrates on the two situations $L=\ensuremath{\lambda}∕2$ and $L=\ensuremath{\lambda}$, the most contrasted ones with respect to the length dependence of the coherent Dicke narrowing. For $L=\ensuremath{\lambda}∕2$, the Dicke-narrowed absorption profile simply broadens and saturates in amplitude when increasing the light intensity, while for $L=\ensuremath{\lambda}$, sub-Doppler dips of reduced absorption at the line-center appear on the broad absorption profile. For a fluorescence detection at $L=\ensuremath{\lambda}$, saturation induces narrow dips, but only for hyperfine components undergoing a population loss through optical pumping. These experimental results are interpreted with the help of the various existing models and are compared with numerical calculations based upon a two-level modeling that considers both a closed and an open system.
Absorption and fluorescence in Rb sub-micron cell on D2 line have been studied when the thickness L varies in the range of 0.5 λ - 3.5 λ, and the laser intensity is 0.1 - 1 W/cm2 (λ = 780 nm, λL ~ 5 MHz). When L = (2n +1) λ/2 (n-integer) and I ~ 0.1 W/cm2, revival of peaks of Dicke-type coherent narrowing effect with some modification of the spectra (as compared with low intensity regime) are still observable. The experimental results obtained at I ~ 1 W/cm2 for L = λ/2 show that there are no "dips" of a reduced absorption in the spectra, though there is a strong spectral broadening of the absorption (and fluorescence), as well as a reduction of the absorption (in contrast, I ~ 1 mW/cm2 is sufficient to create the dips when L = λ). Probably, this is caused by a strong Dicke narrowing regime when L = λ/2. Several additional differences of fluorescence and absorption spectra behaviour at high intensities are revealed.
Comparison of the resonant absorption and fluorescence in the extremely thin cell (ETC) filled with pure Rb with another one filled with Rb and Neon gas with the pressures 6 Torr and 20 Torr is provided. The effect of the collapse and revival of Dicke-type narrowing is still observable for the thickness L=λ/2, and L=λ, where λ is a resonant laser wavelength 794 nm (D1 line of the Rb), i.e. the spectra of the resonant absorption and fluorescence demonstrate the sub-Doppler narrowing for the thickness L=λ/2 and broadening for the thickness L=λ. It is important to note, that in an ordinary Rb cell with the thickness L in the range of 1mm- 10 cm filled with buffer gas, with a pressure higher than 1 Torr in the Saturation Absorption scheme, any sub-Doppler features are absent. For L= λ the so called velocity selective optical pumping (VSOP) resonance located at the atomic transition is still observable when Ne pressure is 6 Torr , while the linewidth is increased by 4 times in comparison with that obtained in the pure Rb ETC. This VSOP resonance is wash out when Ne pressure is 20 Torr. It is demonstrated that use of the fluorescence spectra at L=λ/2 allows one to use the ETC for the buffer gas pressure measurement. Comparison with the theory is presented.
The features of resonance fluorescence and absorption of resonance laser radiation in atomic vapors in a superthin cell with thickness L of the order of a wavelength lambda are investigated theoretically. Taking into account the Fabry-Perot interference effect, it is found that the dependence of the fluorescence and absorption spectra on the ratio L/lambda is substantially different. Coherent spectral narrowing - the Dicke effect - when L=(2n+1)lambda/2 and broadening of the spectral line when L = n lambda (n is a whole number) are observed in the absorption spectra. This effect is absent in the spector of resonance fluorescence in extended media. It is also shown that the processes of saturation and optical pumping significantly alter the spectral line shape as the laser intensity increases; in particular, additional sub-Doppler dips appear at the frequency of the atomic transitions. Calculated curves are given for the D2 lines of ^85Rb atoms. © 2004 Optical Society of America
Recently unique extremely thin cells (ETC) containing atomic vapour of alkali metals with the column thickness L of an order and much less than optical light wavelength λ have been developed. It has been demonstrated that these ETC are a very promising tool for a fundamental study of atom-light, atom-atom, atom-surface and atom-external magnetic field interactions. Particularly, a dramatically different behaviour of resonant absorption, fluorescence and resonant magneto-optical processes compared to that obtained with the help of cm-long ordinary cells has been demonstrated. Possible applications based on ETC are described, such as magnetometers with nanometric spatial resolution and tunable atomic frequency references. For the study of buffer gas influence, a multi-region cell (MRC) has been developed. MRC consists of an ETC cell having a wedged thickness of the gap between the windows that allows one to form atomic vapour column thickness in the range of 0.1 ÷ 4 μm. The ETC is connected through a sapphire tube with a 1cm-long sapphire tube having sapphire windows. The 1cm-long cell has a sapphire side-arm containing Rb metal. MRC's are filled with 6 Torr and 20 Torr Neon gas, thus there is Rb vapour and buffer gas inside the MRC. The construction of the MRC allows one to compare absorption and fluorescence processes simultaneously in the case of the ETC use as well as in the case of 1cm-long ordinary cell use. The comparison of the resonant absorption and fluorescence in the extremely thin cell (ETC) filled with pure Rb with another one filled with Rb and Neon gas with the pressures of 6 Torr and 20 Torr is provided. The effect of the collapse and revival of Dicke-type narrowing is still observable for the thicknesses L = λ/2, and L = λ, with λ being the resonant laser wavelength 794 nm (D1 line of Rb), i.e. the spectra of the resonant absorption and fluorescence demonstrate strong sub-Doppler narrowing for the thickness L = λ/2 and broadening for the thickness L = λ. It is important to note that in an ordinary Rb cell with the thickness L in the range of 1mm - 10 cm filled with buffer gas, with the pressure higher than 1 Torr, in the well-known Saturation Absorption scheme, any sub-Doppler features are absent. For L = λ the so called velocity selective optical pumping/saturating resonance (VSOP) located at the atomic transition is still observable when Ne pressure is 6 Torr, while the linewidth is increased by 4 times in comparison with that obtained in a pure Rb ETC. It is also demonstrated that the use of the fluorescence spectra at L = λ/2 allows one to use ETC for the buffer gas pressure measurements. Comparison with the theory will be presented.
Abstract A nanometer-thin cell (in the direction of laser beam propagation) has been elaborated with the thickness of the atomic vapor column varying smoothly in the range of . The cell allows one to study the behavior of the resonance absorption over the D 1 line of potassium atoms by varying the laser intensity and the cell thickness (from to with the step where is the resonant wavelength of the laser). It is shown that despite the huge Doppler broadening ( at the cell temperature ), at low laser intensities a narrowing of the resonance absorption spectrum is observed for ( at FWHM) and , whereas for and the spectrum broadens. At moderate laser intensities narrowband velocity selective optical pumping (VSOP) resonances appear at and with the linewidth close to the natural one. A comparison with saturated absorption spectra obtained in a 1.4 cm-sized K cell is presented. The developed theoretical model well describes the experiment.