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Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Observation of resonances at subharmonics of the Rabi frequency in the saturated absorption of a 100% amplitude-modulated laser beam

Stephen H. Chakmakjian, Karl W. Koch, Carlos R. Stroud

Published Oct 1, 1988• 53 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A series of resonances has been observed in the absorption of a 100% amplitude-modulated laser beam by an optically pumped sodium atomic beam. Resonances were observed when the modulation frequency was equal to the first, second, and third subharmonic of the Rabi frequency. The experimental results are compared with theory, and the implications of these parametric resonances to laser instabilities are discussed.

DOI
10.1364/josab.5.002015

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A series of resonances has been observed in the absorption of a 100% amplitude-modulated laser beam by an optically pumped sodium atomic beam. Resonances were observed when the modulation frequency was equal to the first, second, and third subharmonic of the Rabi frequency. The experimental results are compared with theory, and the implications of these parametric resonances to laser instabilities are discussed.
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The interaction of a strong bichromatic field with a two-level atom has been the subject of numerous experimental and theoretical investigations. We performed an experimental study of the Interaction of an intense 100% amplitude-modulated (AM) field with an ensemble of homogeneously broadened two-level atoms. An optically pumped sodium atomic beam is used as the atomic medium. The field is created by interfering two intense frequency-stabilized laser fields. The frequency of one field is held fixed while another field of equal amplitude is scanned in frequency. The beat frequency produced by interfering the two laser fields is equal to twice the modulation frequency of a 100% AM field. We monitor the time-averaged fluorescent intensity of the atoms as the frequency separation between the two fields is varied. A similar experiment was done in the past in the rf regime.1 For the first time, we report the observation of multiple, well-resolved resonances in the absorption spectrum of the field in the optical regime. We present data and theory for several values of detuning between the fixed field and atomic resonance. The experimental results are in good agreement with theory.
We report our results on measurement of the total fluorescent power radiated by two-level atoms excited by a 100% amplitude modulated or bichromatic laser field. For the case of single-frequency excitation, it is well known that the total fluorescent power monotonically saturates as the intensity of the field is increased. This occurs because the inversion of the atoms approaches zero at high field strengths. In contrast, when the field is bichromatic the total fluorescent power displays resonant peaks as the strength of the driving field is increased. This occurs because there is enhanced absorption when the modulation frequency coincides with the Rabi freqeuncy or one of its subharmonics.
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