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QUANTUM THEORY OF THE OPTICAL PUMPING CYCLE. EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF NEW EFFECTS PREDICTED

Claude N. Cohen-Tannoudji

Published Jul 1, 1962• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

ABS>A detailed physical interpretation of the results of the Barrat- Cohen-Tannoudji theory of the optical pumping cycle is presented. The experimental verification of the essentially new effects that the calculation of the pumping cycle predicts is described. The odd isotopes of mercury were chosen for the experimental verification. The two most important effects predicted by the theory and verified by the experimental work are the radiative effects associated with the absorption process and the partial conservation of coherence'' during the optical pumping cycle. (J.S.R.)

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Displacement of Energy Levels of Atoms by Light

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This is a brief account of recent results obtained in Paris by the development of optical-pumping techniques, and especially on the thesis of Cagnac and the thesis of Cohen-Tannoudji. Cagnac has used the optical-pumping technique to achieve nuclear orientation in the ground state of the odd mercury isotopes and has made an extensive study of the longitudinal relaxation time. Barrat and Cohen-Tannoudji have developed the quantum-mechanical theory of the optical-pumping cycle of an atom and Cohen-Tannoudji in his thesis has confirmed the theoretical predictions experimentally by applying Dehmelt’s cross-beam technique to Hg199: If a collection of atoms is irradiated permanently by light which can be absorbed and re-emitted, this pumping cycle has different effects on the ground-state properties of the atoms; these effects are experimentally detectable by observing the magnetic resonance of the atomic ground state. A broadening of the magnetic-resonance line proportional to the light intensity occurs. It is due to the shortening of the lifetime of the ground-state Zeeman levels by light absorptions. Other effects are displacements of the Zeeman levels of the ground state caused by irradiation resulting in a change of the magnetic-resonance frequency. Theory predicts displacements of 2 different kinds: (1) Displacements caused by real transitions—During an up-and-down transition of an atom, coherence is partly conserved. As a result, a certain amount of the g factor of the excited state is mixed with the g factor of the ground state. (2) Displacements caused by virtual transitions—These displacements are related to the dispersion of light. All these effects, predicted by the theory, have been qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by Cohen’s experiments.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•Aug 1, 1963•68 citations

Theory of the modulation of light in optical pumping experiments

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The absorption of light by optically pumped atoms undergoing magnetic resonance is calculated from expressions based on a simplification of Barrat and Cohen-Tannoudji's theory of optical pumping. The density matrix for the system is first derived in orders of approximation which correspond to successive cycles of pumping. The off-diagonal elements of the matrix, and consequently the absorption of light, are modulated. The amplitudes of modulation are resonance functions which are, in general, more complicated than solutions of the Bloch equations. The selection rules for electric dipole radiation limit the possible frequencies of modulation to ω0 and 2ω0 for primary interactions (ω0 is the applied frequency), but modulation at higher frequencies can arise through the circulation of coherence in optical pumping cycles. The functions which represent the amplitude of modulation at 4ω0 are derived in first and second order, for comparison with experiment.

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The objective of this paper is to share our enthusiasm for optical pumping experiments and to encourage their use in researches on practical physics. The experimental technique has been well developed and the apparatus sophisticated, but, by paying attention to a few details, reliable operation can be repeated. Some theoretical principles for optical pumping are also introduced and they can be demonstrated experimentally.

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LANGEVINIAN THEORY OF TWO-PHOTON LASERS BY OPTICAL PUMPING

Xiangming Hu, Wang Dexin, 华中师范大学物理系,武汉,430070

In this paper, a two-photon laser by optical pumping, with two-photon losses, is studied by means of the Langevinian theory, the langevinian equation is obtained. Then the steady-state average photon number, the frequency pulling, the linewidth and the dynamical Stark effect are obtained. From the analysis of the gain, it is shown that, for the incoherent pumping, only the two-step process of single-and two-photon gives contribution. And for the coherent pumping, in addition, the one-step process of single and two-photon also contributes. And two processes are confined by the negative-feedback and saturation. The linewidth is independent of the steady state average photon number.

Acta Physica Sinica•Jan 1, 1992•0 citations

Optical pumping as a relaxation process

Jacques Vanier

A theory of optical pumping is given in which the interaction between the radiation and the ensemble of atoms is treated as a random perturbation. The theory gives the pumping rate and the light shift magnitude. The results are compared with those already published.

Canadian Journal of Physics•Jul 15, 1969•17 citations
ABS>A detailed physical interpretation of the results of the Barrat- Cohen-Tannoudji theory of the optical pumping cycle is presented. The experimental verification of the essentially new effects that the calculation of the pumping cycle predicts is described. The odd isotopes of mercury were chosen for the experimental verification. The two most important effects predicted by the theory and verified by the experimental work are the radiative effects associated with the absorption process and the partial conservation of coherence'' during the optical pumping cycle. (J.S.R.)
This is a brief account of recent results obtained in Paris by the development of optical-pumping techniques, and especially on the thesis of Cagnac and the thesis of Cohen-Tannoudji. Cagnac has used the optical-pumping technique to achieve nuclear orientation in the ground state of the odd mercury isotopes and has made an extensive study of the longitudinal relaxation time. Barrat and Cohen-Tannoudji have developed the quantum-mechanical theory of the optical-pumping cycle of an atom and Cohen-Tannoudji in his thesis has confirmed the theoretical predictions experimentally by applying Dehmelt’s cross-beam technique to Hg199: If a collection of atoms is irradiated permanently by light which can be absorbed and re-emitted, this pumping cycle has different effects on the ground-state properties of the atoms; these effects are experimentally detectable by observing the magnetic resonance of the atomic ground state. A broadening of the magnetic-resonance line proportional to the light intensity occurs. It is due to the shortening of the lifetime of the ground-state Zeeman levels by light absorptions. Other effects are displacements of the Zeeman levels of the ground state caused by irradiation resulting in a change of the magnetic-resonance frequency. Theory predicts displacements of 2 different kinds: (1) Displacements caused by real transitions—During an up-and-down transition of an atom, coherence is partly conserved. As a result, a certain amount of the g factor of the excited state is mixed with the g factor of the ground state. (2) Displacements caused by virtual transitions—These displacements are related to the dispersion of light. All these effects, predicted by the theory, have been qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by Cohen’s experiments.
The absorption of light by optically pumped atoms undergoing magnetic resonance is calculated from expressions based on a simplification of Barrat and Cohen-Tannoudji's theory of optical pumping. The density matrix for the system is first derived in orders of approximation which correspond to successive cycles of pumping. The off-diagonal elements of the matrix, and consequently the absorption of light, are modulated. The amplitudes of modulation are resonance functions which are, in general, more complicated than solutions of the Bloch equations. The selection rules for electric dipole radiation limit the possible frequencies of modulation to ω0 and 2ω0 for primary interactions (ω0 is the applied frequency), but modulation at higher frequencies can arise through the circulation of coherence in optical pumping cycles. The functions which represent the amplitude of modulation at 4ω0 are derived in first and second order, for comparison with experiment.
In this paper, a two-photon laser by optical pumping, with two-photon losses, is studied by means of the Langevinian theory, the langevinian equation is obtained. Then the steady-state average photon number, the frequency pulling, the linewidth and the dynamical Stark effect are obtained. From the analysis of the gain, it is shown that, for the incoherent pumping, only the two-step process of single-and two-photon gives contribution. And for the coherent pumping, in addition, the one-step process of single and two-photon also contributes. And two processes are confined by the negative-feedback and saturation. The linewidth is independent of the steady state average photon number.