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Journal of Contemporary Physics (Armenian Academy of Sciences)

Study of atomic spectral lines in a magnetic field with use of a nanocell with the thickness L = λ

T. Varzhapetyan, G. Hakhumyan, V. V. Babushkin, David G. Sarkisyan, Aigars Atvars, Marcis P. Auzinsh

Published Dec 1, 2007• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We propose a technique which we call “ L = λ Zeeman technique” (LZT) for investigation of the transitions between the Zeeman sublevels of the hfs structure of alkali metal atoms in external magnetic fields. The technique is based on the employment of a nanocell with the thickness of the Rb atom vapor column equal to the wavelength of the laser radiation, 780 nm, resonant with the atomic rubidium D 2 transition. At the laser intensities of about 1 mW/cm 2 in the transmission spectrum of the nanocell narrow (∼ 30 MHz) resonant peaks of reduced absorption appear localized exactly on the atomic transitions. In magnetic fields these peaks are split and their amplitudes and frequency positions depend on the magnetic field strength. The theoretical model well describes the experimental results.

DOI
10.3103/s1068337207060023

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•Jul 5, 2010•0 citations
We propose a technique which we call “ L = λ Zeeman technique” (LZT) for investigation of the transitions between the Zeeman sublevels of the hfs structure of alkali metal atoms in external magnetic fields. The technique is based on the employment of a nanocell with the thickness of the Rb atom vapor column equal to the wavelength of the laser radiation, 780 nm, resonant with the atomic rubidium D 2 transition. At the laser intensities of about 1 mW/cm 2 in the transmission spectrum of the nanocell narrow (∼ 30 MHz) resonant peaks of reduced absorption appear localized exactly on the atomic transitions. In magnetic fields these peaks are split and their amplitudes and frequency positions depend on the magnetic field strength. The theoretical model well describes the experimental results.
We describe the so-called λ-Zeeman method to investigate individual hyperfine transitions between Zeeman sublevels of atoms in an external magnetic field of 0.1mT–0.25T. Atoms are confined in a nanocell with thickness L=λ, where λ is the resonant wavelength (794 or 780nm for D1 or D2 line, respectively, of Rb). Narrow resonances in the transmission spectrum of the nanocell are split into several components in a magnetic field; their frequency positions and transition probabilities depend on the B field. Possible applications are described, such as magnetometers with nanometric spatial resolution and tunable atomic frequency references.
We describe the so-called "Lambda-Zeeman method" to investigate individual hyperfine transitions between Zeeman sublevels of atoms in an external magnetic field of 0.1 mT - 0.25 T. Atoms are confined in a nanocell with thickness L = Lambda, where Lambda is the resonant wavelength (794 nm or 780 nm for D1 or D2 line of Rb). Narrow resonances in the transmission spectrum of the nanocell are split into several components in a magnetic field; their frequency positions and probabilities depend on the B-field. Possible applications are described, such as magnetometers with nanometric spatial resolution and tunable atomic frequency references.
It has been experimentally demonstrated that the use of the effect of significant narrowing of the fluorescence spectrum from a nanocell that contains a column of atomic Rb vapor with a thickness of L = 0.5λ (where λ = 794 nm is the wavelength of laser radiation, whose frequency is resonant with the atomic transition of the D 1 line of Rb) and the application of narrowband diode lasers allow the spectral separation and investigation of changes in probabilities of optical atomic transitions between levels of the hyperfine structure of the D 1 line of 87Rb and 85Rb atoms in external magnetic fields of 10–2500 Gs (for example, for one of transitions, the probability increases ∼17 times). Small column thicknesses (∼390 nm) allow the application of permanent magnets, which facilitates significantly the creation of strong magnetic fields. Experimental results are in a good agreement with the theoretical values. The advantages of this method over other existing methods are noted. The results obtained show that a magnetometer with a local spatial resolution of ∼390 nm can be created based on a nanocell with the column thickness L = 0.5λ. This result is important for mapping strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields.
It is shown experimentally that use of fluorescence and transmission spectra obtained from nanocells with the thickness of column of rubidium atomic vapor L = λ/2 and L = λ, respectively (λ = 794 nm is the wavelength of laser radiation close to resonance with D 1-line transition of Rb atoms), by means of a narrowband diode laser allows spectral separation and study of variations of probabilities of atomic transitions between ground and excited states of hfs of D 1 lines of 85Rb and 87Rb atoms in the range of magnetic fields from 10 to 5000 G. Small thickness of atomic vapor column (∼390 nm and ∼794 nm) allows applying permanent magnets simplifying essentially creation of strong magnetic fields. Advantages of this technique are discussed as compared with the technique of saturated absorption. The obtained results show that a nanocell with submicrom thickness of vapor column may serve as a basis for designing a magnetometer with submicron local spatial resolution which is important in case of measuring strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields. Experimental data are in good agreement with the theoretical results.
Sub-Doppler nature of atomic spectra in alkali metal vapor cells of nanometric thickness L (nanocells) allows one to study peculiarities of magneto-optical processes, which occur in a magnetic field for the case when L is of the order of λ (λ is a laser resonant wavelength). We particularly address the issues of practical implementation of the studied processes. The following results are presented. i) A "λ-Zeeman technique" exploiting velocity-selective optical pumping resonances in L = λ Rb cell placed in a B-field, which allows direct determination frequency shifts and modification of transition probabilities of individual Zeeman transitions in magnetic field and is applicable for development of wide-range (~ 0.1 - 1000 mT) optical magnetometers and tunable frequency reference. ii) A technique for locking the laser radiation frequency, B-field-tunable in ~ 500 MHz range, which is based on selective reflection of a circularly-polarized laser beam from Rb vapor cell with thickness L ≈ λ/2.
The energy levels of atoms placed in an external magnetic field undergo frequency shifts and changes in their transition probabilities. It is demonstrated that using fluorescence spectra from a submicron thin vapour cell (STC) with the thickness L = λ/2, it is possible to efficiently study the above mentioned changes (“half-λ Zeeman technique” (HLZT)). The circularly polarized beam of extended-cavity diode laser (λ = 794 nm, laser bandwidth γL < 1 MHz) resonant with 87Rb D1 transition, after passing through Faraday isolator is directed onto the Rb STC with the thickness L = λ/2. The temperature of the STC is 120 °C, corresponding to N ~ 1013 atom/cm3. STC was provided by a special oven with 3 openings: 2 inlets for laser beam passage, and one orthogonal inlet for side fluorescence detection. This geometry allows simultaneous recording of fluorescence and transmission spectra. STC with the oven is placed between two strong permanent ring magnets and by changing the distance between them it is possible to form a strong magnetic field up to 4500 G. In [1], “λ-Zeeman technique” (LZT) is shown to be efficient to study individual transitions between the Zeeman sublevels of hyperfine levels in an external magnetic field up to 2400 G. LZT uses STC with thickness L = λ, where λ is 794 nm (780 nm) for D1 line (D2 line) of Rb. Narrow velocity selective optical pumping/saturation (VSOP) resonances in the transmission spectrum of the STC are split into several components in the magnetic field; their frequency positions and probabilities depend on the B-field. We present comparison of HLZT and LZT in a wide region of magnetic fields up to 4500 G. We present the fluorescence spectrum for L = λ/2 and the transmission spectrum for L = λ. The VSOP resonances in the LZT-curve are narrower meanwhile the advantage of HLZT is that the fluorescence appears on a flat background. Applications such as magnetometer with high spatial resolution and the theoretical model describing well the experiment will be presented.