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Optics Letters

Polarization-ellipse rotation by induced gyrotropy in atomic vapors

William V. Davis, Alexander L. Gaeta, Robert W. Boyd

Published Sep 15, 1992• 38 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study theoretically and experimentally a new mechanism for the rotation of the polarization ellipse of a single laser beam propagating through an atomic vapor with a frequency tuned near an atomic resonance. The results of a theoretical treatment for the case of a J = (1/2) to J = (1/2) atomic transition show that a rotation of the polarization ellipse of the laser beam will occur as a result of ground-state optical pumping and that the angle of rotation is independent of the laser intensity over a broad range of laser intensities. The predictions of this theoretical model are tested experimentally through the use of potassium vapor and are found to agree with the experimental data.

DOI
10.1364/ol.17.001304

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Summary form only given. Self-rotation (SR) of the polarization ellipse upon propagation through a nonlinear medium was among the first nonlinear optics phenomena observed. SR in resonant atomic vapors has been the subject of several theoretical and experimental studies. We describe SR in two-level F/spl rarr/F' systems (F, F' are the total angular momenta of the lower and the upper state) and present experiments and theoretical interpretation (based on density matrix calculations) of SR on the Rb D/sub 1,2/ lines.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference•May 12, 2000•1 citation
We study theoretically and experimentally a new mechanism for the rotation of the polarization ellipse of a single laser beam propagating through an atomic vapor with a frequency tuned near an atomic resonance. The results of a theoretical treatment for the case of a J = (1/2) to J = (1/2) atomic transition show that a rotation of the polarization ellipse of the laser beam will occur as a result of ground-state optical pumping and that the angle of rotation is independent of the laser intensity over a broad range of laser intensities. The predictions of this theoretical model are tested experimentally through the use of potassium vapor and are found to agree with the experimental data.
We show that for a broad range of intensities the polarization ellipse of a laser beam can undergo rotation while propagating through an atomic vapor. The ellipse rotation is predicted to occur for the case in which the field is tuned near a J = 1/2 to J-1/2 transition of the atomic vapor and the input intensity is sufficiently strong to saturate the ground-state optical pumping but not the transition itself. Under these conditions, the ellipse rotation is independent of the laser intensity and, hence, is unlike the ellipse rotation predicted and observed by Maker and Terhune1 for a tensor nonlinear susceptibility.
Polarization rotation effects in atomic sodium vapor are studied both experimentally and theoretically. Two pulsed dye laser beams propagate collinearly through a cell containing sodium vapor. The direction of polarization of a linearly polarized dye laser beam of frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}$ is found to be rotated by a circularly polarized beam of frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$. This rotation is due to the difference in refractive index at ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}$ for right and left circularly polarized light which is produced by the circularly polarized beam. When ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$ is tuned near the $3S\ensuremath{-}5S$ two-photon transition of atomic sodium, this difference is primarily due to the dispersion associated with the two-photon transition. Other sources of polarization rotation which were identified include (i) real transfers of population to excited atomic levels due to collisionally induced transitions and (ii) optically induced atomic energy-level shifts. The theory includes both the effects of two-photon dispersion and optically induced energy shifts. The application of the two-photon polarization rotation effect as a fast, optically controlled shutter or modulator and as a sensitive detection technique for two-photon spectroscopy are briefly discussed.
Two intersecting laser beams of orthogonal circular polarization near resonant to the homogeneously broadened D1 transition of Na vapor were observed to deflect each other upon contact. The experimental results are in good agreement with calculations based on a model which includes diffraction and a local nonlinear atomic susceptibility wihch fully takes into account saturation and optical pumping effects. The contact deflection (or ``bouncing'') was also observed when both beams were tuned to the atomic resonance frequency.
The Faraday effect in potassium vapor pumped by nanosecond pulses of near resonant laser radiation is studied experimentally. The input radiation with linewidth 3 cm-1 had a central frequency vp equals 13055 cm-1 which was 12 cm-1 higher than 4S1/2 - 4P3/2 atomic transition frequency v0 equals 13043 cm-1. The strong spectral broadening of pump radiation allowed to observe the Faraday rotation at frequencies v+/- 1 equals v0 +/- 2.5 cm-1 located closer to the atomic resonance where the rotation was high. The decrease of Faraday rotation from 150 degree(s) to 20 degree(s) with the increase of the intensity of pump radiation from 2 (DOT) 105 to 107 W/cm2 has been measured. The saturation of 4S1/2 - 4P3/2 transition is considered as a cause of suppression of Faraday rotation. The contributions of one photon resonance absorption, as well as of multiphoton processes, caused by more intense off resonant part of the broadened pump radiation (having frequency detuning 12 cm-1), to saturation of resonant transition is discussed. The experimental results are compared with theoretical calculations performed.
Nonlinear resonant optical rotation was studied over a wide range of experimental parameters at the Rb D 1 F = 2→ F ′ = 1 transition in the 87 Rb vapor under conditions of coherent population trapping. The angle of rotation was found to depend nonmonotonically on the laser intensity and applied magnetic field. The effect of optical pumping out to the level F = 1 is discussed. It is demonstrated experimentally that the Faraday rotation angle increases twofold upon the compensation for pumping.
Summary form only given. Self-rotation (SR) of the polarization ellipse upon propagation through a nonlinear medium was among the first nonlinear optics phenomena observed. SR in resonant atomic vapors has been the subject of several theoretical and experimental studies. We describe SR in two-level F/spl rarr/F' systems (F, F' are the total angular momenta of the lower and the upper state) and present experiments and theoretical interpretation (based on density matrix calculations) of SR on the Rb D/sub 1,2/ lines.