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Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics

Selection of motionless atoms with optical pumping

M. Pinard, Lucile Julien

Published Sep 28, 1984• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The velocity selective optical pumping method has been extended to the selection of three components of the atomic velocities. Three non-coplanar pumping beams and a detection beam are used, all of them originating from the same laser. The signal proceeds from crossed non-linear effects depending on each of the pumping-beam intensities. This method has been demonstrated experimentally with metastable neon atoms and signals have been obtained due to almost motionless atoms in space.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3700/17/18/009

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The velocity selective optical pumping method has been extended to the selection of three components of the atomic velocities. Three non-coplanar pumping beams and a detection beam are used, all of them originating from the same laser. The signal proceeds from crossed non-linear effects depending on each of the pumping-beam intensities. This method has been demonstrated experimentally with metastable neon atoms and signals have been obtained due to almost motionless atoms in space.
Optical pumping performed with a quasi monochromatic laser beam in an atomic gas introduces a redistribution of Zeeman populations selectively in a single velocity class. In the limit of low pumping intensity the rate theory is valid for a description of velocity-selective optical pumping (V.S.O.P.). Well-defined atomic observables (population, orientation, alignment) and their velocity-correlated collisional relaxation can be studied. Also, a modified scheme for the detection of second order effects of optical pumping allows one to observe light shift induced signals. In particular, V.S.O.P. and its combination with modulated pumping, magnetic depolarization (level crossing), and magnetic resonance techniques provide information about the atomic collision characteristics such as collision rates and kernels for velocity-changing collisions.
We consider optical pumping with a quasi monochromatic tunable light beam, in the low intensity limit where a rate equation regime is obtained The velocity selective optical pumping (V.S.O.P.) introduces a correlation between atomic velocity and internal variables in the ground (or metastable) state. The aim of this article is to evaluate these atomic observables (orientation, alignment, population) as a function of velocity, using a phenomenological description of the relaxation effect of collisions. The V.S.O.P. line shapes, obtained by scanning the pumping beam frequency and using a counterpropagating detection beam with the same frequency, are given in various circumstances. The combination of V.S.O.P. with modulated pumping, magnetic resonance, and level crossing methods is considered; the corresponding line shapes can provide useful information on the relaxation characteristics, such as collision rates and kernels.
Reports the optogalvanic detection of observables induced by optical pumping in metastable states of neon. As with optical methods signals are obtained which are related to electronic and nuclear orientation or alignment. Many optical pumping experiments may thus be performed using optogalvanic techniques, including the Hanle effect and 'velocity selective optical pumping' described. Different mechanisms are discussed from which optogalvanic signals related to non-scalar observables may originate. Profiles obtained from frequency sweeps of two polarisation-modulated counterpropagating pump beams indicate the dominant mechanism is a second-order pumping effect which induces a modulated depletion of the metastable state. No effect has been observed arising from a variation of the Penning collision cross section when the two metastable colliding atoms are oriented. The analogy between signals produced by optogalvanic and optical methods are pointed out.
We describe a spectroscopic method combining saturated absorption and Zeeman optical pumping. A weak expanded monochromatic laser beam creates a velocity-correlated orientation in an atomic level without optical saturation. A polarization-modulated counterpropagating detection beam provides signals related to simple atomic observables. Combination with magnetic resonance techniques is described. We have applied this method to metastable states of Ne, with nuclear or electronic orientation. Effects of velocity-changing, depolarization (Kastler- or Dehmelt-type pumping) or metastability exchange collisions are discussed.
An apparatus has been constructed to produce well-characterized fast beams of rare gas metastable atoms for subsequent scattering experiments. Optical pumping by a collinear laser beam can be used to selectively remove either of the two metastable components from the beam. Laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) techniques can be used to determine the original beam composition and to monitor composition changes resulting from optical absorption. These techniques have been successfully applied to a metastable neon beam produced by near-resonant charge transfer of Ne+ in Na. A simple model has been developed which accurately reproduces the observed LIF lineshape generated by tuning the laser throught the optical transition frequency.