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Physical Review A

Two-photon excitation of the n=3 level in H and D atoms

Jeffrey Bokor A, Richard R. Freeman, J. C. White, R. H. Storz

Published Jul 1, 1981• 124 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the $n=3$ level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.24.612

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Two-photon excitation of the n = 3 level in H and D atoms

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Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the $n=3$ level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.

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Generation of coherent tunable VUV radiation near the Ly-β transition of atomic hydrogen

John F. Reintjes

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Optics Letters•Aug 1, 1980•22 citations
Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the n=3n=3n=3 level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-\ensuremathα\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremathα fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.
Tunable coherent ultraviolet radiation has been used to excite selectively the n=3n=3n=3 level in hydrogen and deuterium atoms via two-photon absorption from the ground state. The resulting Balmer-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fluorescence at 656 nm was observed as well as resonant three-photon ionization. This work demonstrates several advantages over other techniques for selective detection of neutral H and D atoms, including three-dimensional spatial resolution and a remote monitoring capability afforded by the use of laser-induced-fluorescence detection.
We have observed the 1S—3S and 1S—3D Doppler-free two-photon transitions in atomic hydrogen using a powerful narrow-band tunable light source at 205 nm. The excitation is monitored by looking at the fluorescent light emitted on the Balmer α transition. By this method we have been able to detect atomic hydrogen and atomic deuterium at low density (around 107-108 at/cm3). One of the possible applications of this method is the search of superheavy hydrogen atoms. These atoms composed of a heavy proton and an electron are predicted by some supersymmetry theories.1 Because of their important mass shift, they should be easily distinguishable from hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium. Using a preliminary centrifugation, we believe that we can improve the present limit (~10−15) on the abundance of these superheavy atoms.
Two-photon-resonant, three-photon ionization of atomic hydrogen and deuterium is performed at 243 nm, and the ions are detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The power dependence of the 1S-2S two-photon excitation and one-photon ionization of 2S hydrogen and deuterium are determined. The ionization step saturates at 4 x 10(6) W/cm(2). The two-photon step-power dependence varies with laser linewidth, with saturation occurring between 1 x 10(7) and 3 x 10(7) W/cm(2). The extraction electric field in the mass spectrometer does not affect the 2S excitation. Strong signals are recorded at atomic concentrations of 10(5) atoms/cm(3). Nonresonant ionization of background gases producing H(+) and D(+) is minimized.