Photoexcitation and optical pumping in a barium atomic beam

Daniel E. Murnick, Michael M. Burns, David D. Hinshelwood +2 more

A. Besedina, Gennadij I. Khvostenko, М. П. Чайка

Jörg Neukammer, Herbert H. Rinneberg

Using two CW dye lasers barium Rydberg states were populated by stepwise two-photon absorption via the 6s6p 1 P 1 intermediate level. Monitoring the transmission of the first laser beam, tuned to the resonance line, and scanning the second laser across the upper atomic transition, a greatly enhanced signal was observed. Taking optical pumping into account, a simple rate equation model can quantitatively describe the increase in sensitivity. This technique was applied to measure the hyperfine structure of the 6s15d 1 D 2 Rydberg state in barium.

P. G. Pappas, Michael M. Burns, David D. Hinshelwood +2 more

The magnitude and sign of laser saturation resonances induced in atomic transitions with level degeneracy can be dramatically altered by the presence of optical pumping. This paper presents a detailed theoretical treatment of optical-pumping Lamb dips and crossover resonances, and their experimental observation in the 553-nm barium resonance transition. The physical principles underlying the laser optical-pumping saturation effect are also discussed.

Iosif S. Zeilikovich, S. A. Pulkin, Л. С. Гайда

J.W. Early