Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics

Atomic beam deflection by resonant light pressure

Yuzhu Wang

Published May 31, 1982• 0 citations

Abstract

A method is proposed for generating a near-monoenergetic atomic beam by deflection resulting from the pressure of light of a resonance frequency. A system in which a beam of atoms passes through N periodically distributed regions of interaction with laser radiation is considered: the system ensures a high selectivity in respect of the atomic velocities. The following applications of deflection of monoenergetic atoms are considered: analysis of the velocity distribution in an atomic beam, determination of the lifetime of excited atomic states, and testing of the theory of photon statistics.

DOI: 10.1070/qe1982v012n05abeh012498

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Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics

Atomic beam deflection by resonant light pressure

Yuzhu Wang

Published May 31, 1982• 0 citations

Publisher

Abstract

DOI: 10.1070/qe1982v012n05abeh012498

Related papers

Monoenergetic atomic beam deflection by resonant light pressure

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Acta Physica SinicaApr 1, 19831 citation

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Acta Physica SinicaApr 1, 19860 citations

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{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}

. When single-frequency light was used, only a fraction of the atoms were deflected, and the deflection angles were much smaller due to optical pumping.

We have performed experimental and theoretical studies of the deflection of a sodium atomic beam by a laser tuned to the 3

{\mathrm{}}^{2}

{S}_{1/2}

,F=2--3

{\mathrm{}}^{2}

{P}_{3/2}

,F=3 transition. The intensity profile of the deflected beam was measured at different laser power levels and for different laser polarizations. Calculations using a constant force derived from a two-level atom yield deflections which are too large. The results of more realistic simulation calculations agree very well with the measured deflection. Those calculations incorporate the atomic-beam spatial and velocity distributions as well as the laser frequency distribution and polarization state. Optical pumping, loss of atoms to the nonresonant F=1 ground state, and Doppler shifting of the atoms out of resonance are all considered, as also are the statistics and angular distributions of the spontaneous photons.