Journal of Atomic and Molecular Physics
Energy-pooling collisions in rubidium:5P_J+5P_J′→5S+5D_J″
Yifan Shen
Abstract
An experimental study of rubidium energy pooling collisions,5P_J+5P_J′→5S+5D_J″,at thermal energies,has been carried out in a cell.Atoms were excited to either the 5P_1/2 or 5P_3/2 state using a single-mode diode laser.The excited-atom density and spatial distribution were mapped by monitoring the absorption of a counterpropagating single-mode diode laser beam,tuned to either 5P_1/2→5D_3/2,5P_3/2→7S_1/2 transition,which could be translated parallel to the pump beam.The excited atom densities are combined with measured fluorescence ratios to determine cross sections for the rubidium energy pooling process 5P_J+5P_J′→5S+5D_J″.Two tunable cw diode lasers were used to excite 5P_1/2 and 5P_3/2 respectively and the 5D_J″→5P_J fluorescence intensities were measured.For 5P_3/2+5P_1/2 collisions the cross sections for 5D_5/2,5D_3/2 are(1.12±0.50)×10~-14 and(1.01±0.45)×10~-14 cm~2,respectively.