Microwave and Nuclear Excitations of Alkali Metal Vapors

The effect of excited-state mixing on the optical pumping of alkali-metal vapors is considered for the case where the energy separation between the $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ first excited states is relatively large, allowing the isolation of mixing effects within a particular $J$ level. Two models for the mixing process are proposed, one a random reorientation of the total electronic angular momentum J, and the other a reorientation of J subject to the selection rule $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{J}=0, \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$. The probabilities for mixing transitions among $J$ -state sublevels have been calculated for an alkali atom of nuclear spin $\frac{3}{2}$ , and can be used to calculate the optical-pumping transition probabilities for a vapor subject to any degree of excited-state mixing. Several possible experiments suggested by these calculations are discussed.The effect of excited-state mixing on the optical pumping of alkali-metal vapors is considered for the case where the energy separation between the $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ first excited states is relatively large, allowing the isolation of mixing effects within a particular $J$ level. Two models for the mixing process are proposed, one a random reorientation of the total electronic angular momentum J, and the other a reorientation of J subject to the selection rule $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{J}=0, \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$. The probabilities for mixing transitions among $J$-state sublevels have been calculated for an alkali atom of nuclear spin $\frac{3}{2}$, and can be used to calculate the optical-pumping transition probabilities for a vapor subject to any degree of excited-state mixing. Several possible experiments suggested by these calculations are discussed.

Physical ReviewAug 5, 196661 citations

Hyperfine Physics in Alkali-Metal Vapors

Brian T. Saam

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 2, 20180 citations

Excitation of resonance levels of alkali metal atoms by electron impact

I.P. Zapesochnyi, E.N. Postoi, I. S. Aleksakhin

May 1, 19753 citations

The effect of excited-state mixing on the optical pumping of alkali-metal vapors is considered for the case where the energy separation between the

^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}

and

^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}

first excited states is relatively large, allowing the isolation of mixing effects within a particular

J

level. Two models for the mixing process are proposed, one a random reorientation of the total electronic angular momentum J, and the other a reorientation of J subject to the selection rule $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{J}=0, \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$. The probabilities for mixing transitions among

J

-state sublevels have been calculated for an alkali atom of nuclear spin

\frac{3}{2}

, and can be used to calculate the optical-pumping transition probabilities for a vapor subject to any degree of excited-state mixing. Several possible experiments suggested by these calculations are discussed.