The quantum electrodynamic description of circularly and linearly polarized, single mode radiation exciting atomic transitions in a hyperfine manifold is extended to the more general case of elliptic polarization. Calculations for the sodium D2 line are tested by observing the line polarization of the resonance flourescence scattered perpendicular to the plane containing laser and atomic beams as a function of the laser polarization. Very good agreement between the calculations and the measurements is achieved. It is demonstrated that predetermined populations and substate coherences can be engineered by optically pumping the transition with the appropriately polarized radiation.The quantum electrodynamic description of circularly and linearly polarized, single mode radiation exciting atomic transitions in a hyperfine manifold is extended to the more general case of elliptic polarization. Calculations for the sodium D2 line are tested by observing the line polarization of the resonance flourescence scattered perpendicular to the plane containing laser and atomic beams as a function of the laser polarization. Very good agreement between the calculations and the measurements is achieved. It is demonstrated that predetermined populations and substate coherences can be engineered by optically pumping the transition with the appropriately polarized radiation.

Journal of Modern OpticsApr 1, 199913 citations

Rates of Radiative Transitions and Atomic Spectra

Boris Michailovich Smirnov

Springer series on atomic, optical, and plasma physicsJan 1, 20180 citations

Line polarization of laser-excited Na D2 -transition resonance fluorescence

X-K. Meng, W. R. MacGillivray, M. C. Standage

The sodium ${\mathit{D}}_{2}$ transition is resonantly excited by \ensuremath{\pi}-polarized, narrow-band laser radiation. The line polarization of the resulting fluorescence detected normally to the plane containing the electric-field vector of the radiation and its propagation direction, as well as the atomic beam, is measured as a function of radiation intensity and tuning. The data are compared to calculations from a quantum-electrodynamic theory which includes all participating energy states in the hyperfine representation. The quantitative agreement is very good.The sodium ${\mathit{D}}_{2}$ transition is resonantly excited by \ensuremath{\pi}-polarized, narrow-band laser radiation. The line polarization of the resulting fluorescence detected normally to the plane containing the electric-field vector of the radiation and its propagation direction, as well as the atomic beam, is measured as a function of radiation intensity and tuning. The data are compared to calculations from a quantum-electrodynamic theory which includes all participating energy states in the hyperfine representation. The quantitative agreement is very good.

Physical Review AFeb 1, 199216 citations

Transition Probabilities for z-Polarized Light

Elsevier eBooksJan 1, 20150 citations

The sodium

{\mathit{D}}_{2}

transition is resonantly excited by \ensuremath{\pi}-polarized, narrow-band laser radiation. The line polarization of the resulting fluorescence detected normally to the plane containing the electric-field vector of the radiation and its propagation direction, as well as the atomic beam, is measured as a function of radiation intensity and tuning. The data are compared to calculations from a quantum-electrodynamic theory which includes all participating energy states in the hyperfine representation. The quantitative agreement is very good.