In the optical excitation of atoms with polarized light, producing excited atoms, only some of the Zeeman sublevels of the excited state are actually reached, so that large differences of population can be built up between Zeeman sublevels or between hyperfine structure (hfs) levels. This property can be used to detect radio-frequency resonance in optically excited atomic states. These resonances produce a characteristic change in intensity or in the degree of polarization of the light re-emitted. Zeeman intervals, Stark effects, and hfs intervals can be measured in this manner. (The Stark constant of the 63P1 level of Hg and the electric quadrupole moments of the alkali atoms have been obtained in this way.)The technique of “optical pumping” gives a way to concentrate atoms in some of the Zeeman sublevels of one of the hfs levels of the ground state.Atomic orientation has been obtained with the Na atom, in an atomic beam and in the vapor in equilibrium with the metal. The orientation effects have been studied by detection of radio-frequency resonance signals in the ground state. Orientation can be increased many times by adding a variable pressure of a foreign gas to the pure Na vapor. Because of the coupling between nuclear spin and electron spin, nuclear orientation is produced at the same time as atomic orientation.In the optical excitation of atoms with polarized light, producing excited atoms, only some of the Zeeman sublevels of the excited state are actually reached, so that large differences of population can be built up between Zeeman sublevels or between hyperfine structure (hfs) levels. This property can be used to detect radio-frequency resonance in optically excited atomic states. These resonances produce a characteristic change in intensity or in the degree of polarization of the light re-emitted. Zeeman intervals, Stark effects, and hfs intervals can be measured in this manner. (The Stark constant of the 63P1 level of Hg and the electric quadrupole moments of the alkali atoms have been obtained in this way.)The technique of “optical pumping” gives a way to concentrate atoms in some of the Zeeman sublevels of one of the hfs levels of the ground state.Atomic orientation has been obtained with the Na atom, in an atomic beam and in the vapor in equilibrium with the metal. The orientation effects have been studied by detection of radio-frequency resonance signals in the ground state. Orientation can be increased many times by adding a variable pressure of a foreign gas to the pure Na vapor. Because of the coupling between nuclear spin and electron spin, nuclear orientation is produced at the same time as atomic orientation.

Journal of the Optical Society of AmericaJun 1, 1957223 citations

Effect of spin-exchange collisions of alkali atoms on the double radio-optical resonance

V. V. Batygin, Dmitriy V. Kupriyanov

Optics and SpectroscopyDec 1, 19841 citation

Enhancement of optically pumped spin orientation via spin-exchange collisions at low vapor density

Witold Chałupczak, R. M. Godun, Pawel Anielski +3 more

An effect is demonstrated where off-resonant optical pumping is enhanced by spin-exchange collisions, which enables a high degree of spin orientation to be obtained in alkali-metal atoms. The experiment with room-temperature cesium vapor employs radio-frequency spectroscopy under conditions of the nonlinear Zeeman effect that allow the populations of the individual Zeeman sublevels to be determined. The improved efficiency of atomic orientation leads to a significant reduction of population relaxation out of the state with maximum magnetic quantum number $m$ (stretched state), which is observed as a narrowing of radio-frequency resonances. Spin-exchange collisions play a crucial role in this effect although the applied atomic density $\ensuremath{\sim} $10$ {}^{11}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ corresponds to collision rates not greater than several tens of Hz. A simplified theoretical model has been developed to reproduce the measurement results numerically.An effect is demonstrated where off-resonant optical pumping is enhanced by spin-exchange collisions, which enables a high degree of spin orientation to be obtained in alkali-metal atoms. The experiment with room-temperature cesium vapor employs radio-frequency spectroscopy under conditions of the nonlinear Zeeman effect that allow the populations of the individual Zeeman sublevels to be determined. The improved efficiency of atomic orientation leads to a significant reduction of population relaxation out of the state with maximum magnetic quantum number $m$ (stretched state), which is observed as a narrowing of radio-frequency resonances. Spin-exchange collisions play a crucial role in this effect although the applied atomic density $\ensuremath{\sim}$10${}^{11}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ corresponds to collision rates not greater than several tens of Hz. A simplified theoretical model has been developed to reproduce the measurement results numerically.

Physical Review AApr 4, 201237 citations

m

(stretched state), which is observed as a narrowing of radio-frequency resonances. Spin-exchange collisions play a crucial role in this effect although the applied atomic density $\ensuremath{\sim}

10

{}^{11}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ corresponds to collision rates not greater than several tens of Hz. A simplified theoretical model has been developed to reproduce the measurement results numerically.