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Diode Laser Atomic Spectroscopy

R. N. Compton, Michael A. Duncan

Published Nov 27, 2024• 0 citations
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Abstract

Abstract Experiments using relatively inexpensive tunable diode lasers are used to study high-resolution absorption spectroscopy in alkali vapor. Direct absorption spectra for cesium and rubidium show adsorption profiles that are Doppler-broadened. A second experiment demonstrates saturated adsorption spectroscopy to remove Doppler broadening in atomic spectroscopy for rubidium atoms in a cell at room temperature. Lamb dips are seen in the Doppler-broadened profiles. Finally, a third experiment is described which demonstrates Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy for rubidium vapor. All of these experiments were historical stepping stones toward the creation of a Bose–Einstein condensate.

DOI
10.1093/oso/9780198900825.003.0026

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•Mar 1, 2009•0 citations
Abstract Experiments using relatively inexpensive tunable diode lasers are used to study high-resolution absorption spectroscopy in alkali vapor. Direct absorption spectra for cesium and rubidium show adsorption profiles that are Doppler-broadened. A second experiment demonstrates saturated adsorption spectroscopy to remove Doppler broadening in atomic spectroscopy for rubidium atoms in a cell at room temperature. Lamb dips are seen in the Doppler-broadened profiles. Finally, a third experiment is described which demonstrates Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy for rubidium vapor. All of these experiments were historical stepping stones toward the creation of a Bose–Einstein condensate.
Experiments using relatively inexpensive tunable diode lasers are used to study high-resolution absorption spectroscopy in alkali vapors. Direct absorption spectra for cesium and rubidium show adsorption profiles that are Doppler-broadened. A second experiment demonstrates saturated adsorption spectroscopy to remove Doppler broadening in atomic spectroscopy for rubidium atoms in a cell at room temperature. Lamb dips are seen in the Doppler-broadened profiles. Finally a third experiment is described which demonstrate Doppler-free two photon spectroscopy for rubidium vapour. All of these experiments were historical stepping stones toward the creation of a Bose–Einstein condensate.
In this paper, we describe two complementary nonlinear spectroscopy methods which both allow one to achieve Doppler-free spectra of atomic gases. First, saturated absorption spectroscopy is used to investigate the structure of the 5S 1/2 → 5P 3/2 transition in rubidium. Using a slightly modified experimental setup, Doppler-free two-photon absorption spectroscopy is then performed on the 5S 1/2 → 5D 5/2 transition in rubidium, leading to accurate measurements of the hyperfine structure of the 5D 5/2 energy level. In addition, electric dipole selection rules of the two-photon transition are investigated, first by modifying the polarization of the excitation laser, and then by measuring two-photon absorption spectra when a magnetic field is applied close to the rubidium vapour. All experiments are performed with the same grating-feedback laser diode, providing an opportunity to compare different high-resolution spectroscopy methods using a single experimental setup. Such experiments may acquaint students with quantum mechanics selection rules, atomic spectra and Zeeman effect.
Distributed feedback (DFB) laser chips have recently become available at wavelengths that match the D1 and D2 resonance transitions of alkaline atoms. We investigated the spectral properties, tuning characteristics and modulation behavior of continuous wave, single-mode DFB diodes at 778-780 nm and performed high-resolution spectroscopy of Rubidium vapor. The mode-hop free tuning range of the DFB diodes was as large as 2.4 nm (1186 GHz). The line width of the laser diodes was examined both with a heterodyne beat experiment and with high-resolution Doppler-free two photon spectroscopy, yielding a half width of 2-2.5 MHz. The saturation spectra of the D2-line of 85Rb and 87Rb were recorded with a resolution close to the natural line width. The emission frequency was actively stabilized to Doppler-free transitions with a relative accuracy of better than 4 parts in 109 using commercially available servo devices only. The output power of 80 mW was sufficient to allow for two photon spectroscopy of the 5S-5D-transition of 87Rb. We conclude that the performance of the DFB laser equals that of grating-stabilized external-cavity diode lasers (ECDLs), without the mechanical complexity of the latter systems. The DFB diode is thus well-suited to high-resolution applications in alkaline spectroscopy, including laser cooling and optical manipulation of ultra-cold atoms.
We describe an experiment for investigating the 5S1∕2→5D5∕2 two-photon transition in rubidium using a single grating-feedback diode laser operating at 778.1nm (385THz). Continuous tuning of the laser frequency over 4GHz allows for the clear resolution of the Doppler-free spectral features and allows accurate measurement of the hyperfine ground-state splitting. A direct comparison between Doppler-broadened and Doppler-free spectral features is possible because both are distinctly evident in the two-photon spectra. By independently modifying the polarization state of the two laser fields, the impact of electric dipole selection rules on the two-photon transition spectra is investigated. This experiment is a valuable addition to the advanced undergraduate laboratory because it uses much of the same equipment as the single-photon saturated absorption spectroscopy experiment performed on the 5S1∕2→5P3∕2 transition in rubidium (λ=780.24nm) and provides students with an opportunity to investigate characteristics of atomic spectra not evident in the single-photon experiment.
Frequency-modulation (FM) spectroscopy has been performed on the D(2) transitions of rubidium atoms with an AlGaAs diode laser at 780 nm. Doppler-broadened hyperfine-structure transitions of (85)Rb and (87)Rb were resolved with no residual amplitude-modulation-induced background signal by modulating the injection current of the laser diode at a low frequency (20-50 MHz) compared with the Doppler width. To obtain Doppler-free spectra, we combined FM spectroscopy with saturation spectroscopy. The results show that the FM spectroscopy technique is sensitive and should be useful for high-resolution spectroscopy, although the resolution was instrument limited and unusual double peaks were observed.
In the presented study a diode laser was characterised and used for spec- troscopy, measuring the resonance lines of atomic rubidium. The characteristics of diode lasers and external cavity diode lasers (ECDL) for the purposes of ab- sorption spectroscopy were investigated and an experimental setup for tunable diode laser spectroscopy using an ECDL was developed. In external cavity diode lasers, the advantages of low cost, small size and e ciency of a diode laser is combined with tunability and a narrow frequency bandwidth. The ECDL was applied in experimental setups for absorption spectroscopy and saturated ab- sorption spectroscopy. Measurement of the absorption of atomic rubidium's D2 line near 780 nm is discussed. The Doppler broadened, as well as the Doppler free spectrum of the ne and hyper ne structure of the D2 line were measured and is discussed. Finer control of the ECDL's stability and frequency, using a servo circuit, were investigated and tested. An overview is given of laser cool- ing and trapping of neutral rubidium atoms, which is the main application the ECDL were developed for.