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Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics

Perturbation of the calcium principal series by metastable calcium atoms

Thomas J. Mcilrath

Published Feb 21, 1974• 9 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The absorption of the principal series of calcium is observed with approximately=4% of the atoms placed in the 4s4p 3 P level by selective laser excitation, and is compared with the absorption with all atoms in the ground state. A broadening of the absorption lines accompanied by a shift to longer wavelengths and the occurrence of satellite lines at shorter wavelengths were observed.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3700/7/3/010

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Collective effects in the ionization of calcium atoms following resonant laser pumping of 4s4p3P1metastable state

Muhammad Arshad Khan, E.E. Khawaja, Mohammad F. Al-Kuhaili

The ionization of calcium atoms resonantly excited to the 4s4p 3 P 1 metastable state is investigated. In particular, the influence of various experimental parameters on the total ionization yield and the rate of its growth are reported. Maximum ionization yield was obtained with the buffer gas (Ar) pressure in the range 100-650 mbar. Furthermore, the time history of depopulation of the metastable state 4s4p 3 P 1 monitored in a 'pump' and 'probe' experiment using a second dye laser tuned to the 4s4p 3 P 1 -4s5s 3 S 1 transition is presented. The effective lifetime of the 4s4p 3 P 1 state is shortened to 31+or-2 mu s at 850 degrees C and 800 mbar Ar pressure from the known value of about 350 mu s.

Journal of Physics D Applied Physics•Oct 14, 1993•11 citations
The absorption of the principal series of calcium is observed with approximately=4% of the atoms placed in the 4s4p 3 P level by selective laser excitation, and is compared with the absorption with all atoms in the ground state. A broadening of the absorption lines accompanied by a shift to longer wavelengths and the occurrence of satellite lines at shorter wavelengths were observed.
An experiment is described in which large numbers ( approximately 10 16 ) of calcium atoms are placed in the 4s4p 3 P metastable level by optical pumping with a tunable dye laser and then studied spectroscopically. Equations governing the degree of excitation by the laser are derived. Predictions of the theory are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. In particular, at low optical depths produced by 10 15 ground state atoms cm -2 the dye laser raises approximately 50% of the calcium atoms into the metastable state. At higher optical depths associated with 10 17 ground state atoms cm -2 the number of excited states is limited only by the laser energy and line width. For the dye laser used the largest number of metastables produced was approximately 10 16 . The absorption spectra of the 4s4p 2 P level is seen out to 4s4p 3 P to 4s22d 3 D. The relaxation rate between the excited state fine structure is studied directly with an optically delayed dye laser continuum. Other applications of this technique of producing large numbers of excited states are briefly discussed.
Using a pulsed tunable dye laser pumped by a nitrogen laser, the 4s4p 1 P 1 0 level in Ca I was selectively populated from the 4s 2 1 S 0 ground state. Transitions from the 4s4p 1 P 1 0 level to 4sns 1 S 0 and 4snd 1 D 2 and, for n approximately=20, also to 4snp 1 P 1 0 and 4snf 1 F 3 0 were observed. The latter transitions arise because of Stark mixing of Rydberg states in the field of laser-produced ions and electrons. By applying a voltage to electrodes in the calcium vapour, Stark shifts were measured for levels belonging to the 4snf 1 F 3 0 and 4s(n+1)d 1 D 2 series in a region where the series cross. Diagonalisation of the energy matrix for interacting states with hydrogenic dipole matrix elements gave theoretical Stark shifts in reasonable agreement with those measured. The 4snf 1 F 3 0 series has been extended from n=12 to n=28 by absorption from 4s3d 1 D 2 . The latter level was found to be populated by stimulated emission from 4s4p 1 P 1 0 .
Laser excitation of the 4s4p3P2−−4s3d1D24s4p {}^{3}{P}_{2} -- 4s3d {}^{1}{D}_{2}4s4p3P2​−−4s3d1D2​ transition in atomic calcium has been observed and the wavelength determined to 1530.5298(6) nm. The metastable 4s4p3P24s4p {}^{3}{P}_{2}4s4p3P2​ atoms were magnetically trapped in the quadrupole magnetic field of a magneto-optical trap. This state represents the only ``loss'' channel for the calcium atoms when laser cooled on the 4s21S0−−4s4p1P14{s}^{2} {}^{1}{S}_{0} -- 4s4p {}^{1}{P}_{1}4s21S0​−−4s4p1P1​ transition. A rate equation model shows that an order of magnitude more atoms are trapped in this state compared with those taking part in the main cooling cycle. Excitation of the 3P2{}^{3}{P}_{2}3P2​ atoms back up to the 4s3d1D24s3d {}^{1}{D}_{2}4s3d1D2​ state provides a means of accessing these atoms. Efficient repumping is achieved if the 1530-nm laser is used in conjunction with a 672-nm laser driving the 4s3d1D2−−4s5p1P14s3d {}^{1}{D}_{2} -- 4s5p {}^{1}{P}_{1}4s3d1D2​−−4s5p1P1​ transition. In the present experiment, we detected about $4.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ trapped 3P2{}^{3}{P}_{2}3P2​ atoms, a relatively low atom density, and measured a lifetime of approximately 1 s, which is limited by background collisions.
Experimental results on the ionization of calcium atoms following resonant pumping of the 4s 2 1 S 0 -4s4p 3 P 1 transition with a CW ring dye laser are reported. Absorption profiles of the 4s 2 1 S 0 -4s4p 3 P 1 transition around 6572.78 AA are measured under different conditions of temperature (T) and buffer gas pressure (p) where ionization was observed. Voigt profile fits are seen to adequately describe the observed absorption profiles. The results on collisional widths are in agreement with some previously published measurements. At low buffer gas pressures, collisional widths are found to scale as T 0.5 .
The ionization of calcium atoms resonantly excited to the 4s4p 3 P 1 metastable state is investigated. In particular, the influence of various experimental parameters on the total ionization yield and the rate of its growth are reported. Maximum ionization yield was obtained with the buffer gas (Ar) pressure in the range 100-650 mbar. Furthermore, the time history of depopulation of the metastable state 4s4p 3 P 1 monitored in a 'pump' and 'probe' experiment using a second dye laser tuned to the 4s4p 3 P 1 -4s5s 3 S 1 transition is presented. The effective lifetime of the 4s4p 3 P 1 state is shortened to 31+or-2 mu s at 850 degrees C and 800 mbar Ar pressure from the known value of about 350 mu s.