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White light through low pressure H atoms.

Jacques Moret‐Bailly

Published Jul 15, 2019• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Propagation of white light in very low pressure, relatively cold H atoms of space, is spatially coherent. Lyman alpha absorption pumps atoms to 2P states. Stimulated Raman losses (SRL) using fine levels quanta of excited H, redshift light at all frequencies until an alpha superradiant flare de-excites H and super-absorbs a black line of a Lyman forest. Pumping stops when an absorbed line is shifted to alpha frequency, so that beta and gamma lines are visibly absorbed. If there is energy enough at Lyman beta frequency, a similar, slow redshift restarts the process. A quasar H spectrum is generated. Hubble redshift evaluates a column density of H in 2P state.

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Observation of the 1S–2P Lyman-α transition in antihydrogen

M. Ahmadi, B. X. R. Alves, C. J. Baker +49 more

In 1906, Theodore Lyman discovered his eponymous series of transitions in the extreme-ultraviolet region of the atomic hydrogen spectrum1,2. The patterns in the hydrogen spectrum helped to establish the emerging theory of quantum mechanics, which we now know governs the world at the atomic scale. Since then, studies involving the Lyman-α line—the 1S–2P transition at a wavelength of 121.6 nanometres—have played an important part in physics and astronomy, as one of the most fundamental atomic transitions in the Universe. For example, this transition has long been used by astronomers studying the intergalactic medium and testing cosmological models via the so-called ‘Lyman-α forest’3 of absorption lines at different redshifts. Here we report the observation of the Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. Using narrow-line-width, nanosecond-pulsed laser radiation, the 1S–2P transition was excited in magnetically trapped antihydrogen. The transition frequency at a field of 1.033 tesla was determined to be 2,466,051.7 ± 0.12 gigahertz (1σ uncertainty) and agrees with the prediction for hydrogen to a precision of 5 × 10−8. Comparisons of the properties of antihydrogen with those of its well-studied matter equivalent allow precision tests of fundamental symmetries between matter and antimatter. Alongside the ground-state hyperfine4,5 and 1S–2S transitions6,7 recently observed in antihydrogen, the Lyman-α transition will permit laser cooling of antihydrogen8,9, thus providing a cold and dense sample of anti-atoms for precision spectroscopy and gravity measurements10. In addition to the observation of this fundamental transition, this work represents both a decisive technological step towards laser cooling of antihydrogen, and the extension of antimatter spectroscopy to quantum states possessing orbital angular momentum. The observation of the 1S–2P Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen, is reported.

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Slow metastable atomic hydrogen beam by optical pumping

Kenneth C. Harvey

A beam source of atomic hydrogen is described which produces metastable atoms in the 2S1/2 state by optical pumping. A beam flux of 1016 atoms/s is generated in the ground state. The atoms in the beam pass in front of a lamp producing Lyman-β (1026 Å) radiation, where some of them are excited to the 3P level and cascade with a branching ratio of 12% to the 2S1/2 state. The number of metastable atoms produced is measured by quenching them with an electric field and detecting the emitted Lyman-α (1216 Å) radiation. Beams of 106 metastable atoms/s were obtained. Using the Bethe-Lamb theory for the quenching process, a metastable beam effective temperature of 100 K was measured.

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Propagation of light in low pressure gas

Jacques Moret‐Bailly

The criticism by W. E. Lamb, W. Schleich, M. Scully, C. Townes of a simplified quantum electrodynamics which represents the photon as a true particle is illustrated. Collisions being absent in low-pressure gas, exchanges of energy are radiative and coherent. Thin shells of plasma containing atoms in a model introduced by Strömgren are superradiant, seen as circles possibly dotted. Spectral radiance of novae has magnitude of laser radiance, and column densities are large in nebulae: Superradiance, multiphoton effects, etc., work in astrophysics. The superradiant beams induce multiphotonic scatterings of light emitted by the stars, brightening the limbs of plasma bubbles and darkening the stars. In excited atomic hydrogen, impulsive Raman scatterings shift frequencies of light. Microwaves exchanged with the Pioneer probes are blueshifted, simulating anomalous accelerations. Substituting coherence for wrong calculations in astrophysical papers, improves results, avoids "new physics".

arXiv:1204.3526•Apr 13, 2012•0 citations

Continuous Coherent Lyman- α Excitation of Atomic Hydrogen

K. S. E. Eikema, J. Walz, Theodor W. Hänsch

The 1S-2P transition in atomic hydrogen has been observed for the first time with almost natural linewidth. We employ a unique source of continuous coherent Lyman- alpha radiation based on four-wave mixing in mercury. The output of the source has been improved 40-fold to yield 20 nW. This demonstration shows that laser cooling and detection with continuous Lyman- alpha radiation has excellent prospects for future experiments with antihydrogen.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 18, 2001•103 citations
Propagation of white light in very low pressure, relatively cold H atoms of space, is spatially coherent. Lyman alpha absorption pumps atoms to 2P states. Stimulated Raman losses (SRL) using fine levels quanta of excited H, redshift light at all frequencies until an alpha superradiant flare de-excites H and super-absorbs a black line of a Lyman forest. Pumping stops when an absorbed line is shifted to alpha frequency, so that beta and gamma lines are visibly absorbed. If there is energy enough at Lyman beta frequency, a similar, slow redshift restarts the process. A quasar H spectrum is generated. Hubble redshift evaluates a column density of H in 2P state.
In 1906, Theodore Lyman discovered his eponymous series of transitions in the extreme-ultraviolet region of the atomic hydrogen spectrum1,2. The patterns in the hydrogen spectrum helped to establish the emerging theory of quantum mechanics, which we now know governs the world at the atomic scale. Since then, studies involving the Lyman-α line—the 1S–2P transition at a wavelength of 121.6 nanometres—have played an important part in physics and astronomy, as one of the most fundamental atomic transitions in the Universe. For example, this transition has long been used by astronomers studying the intergalactic medium and testing cosmological models via the so-called ‘Lyman-α forest’3 of absorption lines at different redshifts. Here we report the observation of the Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. Using narrow-line-width, nanosecond-pulsed laser radiation, the 1S–2P transition was excited in magnetically trapped antihydrogen. The transition frequency at a field of 1.033 tesla was determined to be 2,466,051.7 ± 0.12 gigahertz (1σ uncertainty) and agrees with the prediction for hydrogen to a precision of 5 × 10−8. Comparisons of the properties of antihydrogen with those of its well-studied matter equivalent allow precision tests of fundamental symmetries between matter and antimatter. Alongside the ground-state hyperfine4,5 and 1S–2S transitions6,7 recently observed in antihydrogen, the Lyman-α transition will permit laser cooling of antihydrogen8,9, thus providing a cold and dense sample of anti-atoms for precision spectroscopy and gravity measurements10. In addition to the observation of this fundamental transition, this work represents both a decisive technological step towards laser cooling of antihydrogen, and the extension of antimatter spectroscopy to quantum states possessing orbital angular momentum. The observation of the 1S–2P Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen, is reported.
A beam source of atomic hydrogen is described which produces metastable atoms in the 2S1/2 state by optical pumping. A beam flux of 1016 atoms/s is generated in the ground state. The atoms in the beam pass in front of a lamp producing Lyman-β (1026 Å) radiation, where some of them are excited to the 3P level and cascade with a branching ratio of 12% to the 2S1/2 state. The number of metastable atoms produced is measured by quenching them with an electric field and detecting the emitted Lyman-α (1216 Å) radiation. Beams of 106 metastable atoms/s were obtained. Using the Bethe-Lamb theory for the quenching process, a metastable beam effective temperature of 100 K was measured.
The criticism by W. E. Lamb, W. Schleich, M. Scully, C. Townes of a simplified quantum electrodynamics which represents the photon as a true particle is illustrated. Collisions being absent in low-pressure gas, exchanges of energy are radiative and coherent. Thin shells of plasma containing atoms in a model introduced by Strömgren are superradiant, seen as circles possibly dotted. Spectral radiance of novae has magnitude of laser radiance, and column densities are large in nebulae: Superradiance, multiphoton effects, etc., work in astrophysics. The superradiant beams induce multiphotonic scatterings of light emitted by the stars, brightening the limbs of plasma bubbles and darkening the stars. In excited atomic hydrogen, impulsive Raman scatterings shift frequencies of light. Microwaves exchanged with the Pioneer probes are blueshifted, simulating anomalous accelerations. Substituting coherence for wrong calculations in astrophysical papers, improves results, avoids "new physics".