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arXiv:physics/0511104

Laser spectroscopy with nanometric gas cells : distance dependence of atom-surface interaction and collisions under confinement

I. Hamdi, Todorov, Petko, Alexander Yarovitski, G. Dutier, Isabelle Maurin, Solomon M. Saltiel, Yuanyuan Li, A. Lezama, T. Varzhapetyan, David G. Sarkisyan, Marie-Pascale Gorza, M. Fichet, Daniel Bloch, M. Ducloy

Published Nov 11, 2005• 17 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The high sensitivity of Laser Spectroscopy has made possible the exploration of atomic resonances in newly designed "nanometric" gas cells, whose local thickness varies from 20nm to more than 1000 nm. Following the initial observation of the optical analogous of the coherent Dicke microwave narrowing, the newest prospects include the exploration of long-range atom surface van der Waals interaction with spatial resolution in an unprecedented range of distances, modification of atom dielectric resonant coupling under the influence of the coupling between the two neighbouring dielectric media, and even the possible modification of interatomic collisions processes under the effect of confinement.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.physics/0511104

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The high sensitivity of Laser Spectroscopy has made possible the exploration of atomic resonances in newly designed "nanometric" gas cells, whose local thickness varies from 20nm to more than 1000 nm. Following the initial observation of the optical analogous of the coherent Dicke microwave narrowing, the newest prospects include the exploration of long-range atom surface van der Waals interaction with spatial resolution in an unprecedented range of distances, modification of atom dielectric resonant coupling under the influence of the coupling between the two neighbouring dielectric media, and even the possible modification of interatomic collisions processes under the effect of confinement.
Since the recent realization of extremely thin vapour cells (local thickness: 20-1000 nm), we investigate the optical properties of these 1-D confined vapours. Aside from their interest for Doppler-free spectroscopy, nanocells offer a new tool to evaluate collisional shift and broadening, yielding an access to the open problem of collisions under confinement. It also allows probing of the atom-surface interaction in a range of unusual short distances. The experimental exploration of the distance dependence, normally evolving according to the z −3 van der Waals (vW) dependence ( z : the atom-surface distance), is worth doing because it could be affected by imperfections of the real surface, such as roughness, adsorbed impurities or charges. A detailed lineshape analysis is now under progress, with tight constraints imposed to the fitting by the twin information brought by simultaneous reflection and transmission spectra. Another issue is a possible resonant enhancement, susceptible to induce a repulsive vW, due to the coupling between atom excitation and a surface mode.
The van der Waals atom-surface attraction, scaling as C 3 z −3 for z the atom-surface distance, is expected to be valid in the distance range 1–1000 nm, covering 8–10 orders of magnitudes in the interaction energy. A Cs vapour nanocell allows us to analyze the spectroscopic modifications induced by the atom-surface attraction on the 6 P 3/2 → 6 D 5/2 transition. The measured C 3 value is found to be independent of the thickness in the explored range 40–130 nm, and is in agreement with an elementary theoretical prediction. We also discuss the specific interest of exploring short distances and large interaction energy.
Alkali vapors confined in nano-scale cells are promising tools for future integrated atom-based sensor. In this thesis, we investigate the interaction between light and an ensemble of atoms confined in a nano-geometry. We focus on the different processes that can modify the optical response of the atomic ensemble and possibly affect the sensitivity of a sensor based on that technology. First, we study the non-local response of atoms to a light excitation due the atomic motion in thermal vapors. When the distance over which the atoms relaxes is larger than the size of the cell, the optical response depends on the size of the system. We have observed that for transmission spectroscopy, this leads to a periodic modification of the optical response with a period equal to the wavelength of the optical transition. Subsequently we showed that when the density of atom increases, the atomic response becomes local again. In this dense regime, the resonant dipole-dipole interaction in a sub-wavelength geometry leads to collective frequency shifts of the spectral lines. We demonstrate that these shifts were induced by the cavity formed by the cell walls, hence clarifying a long-standing issue. We developed a model to extract the density shifts deconvolved from the cavity effects. Close to a surface, the optical response is also affected by the van der Waals atom-surface interaction. We introduced a new method to extract precisely the strength of this interaction. We also developed a new generation of super-polished glass nano-cells and we presented promising spectroscopic signals. Finally, using these cells, we have compared transmission and off-axis spectroscopic techniques.
Comparison of absorption and fluorescence in a nano-cell containing Rb vapor with other Rb nano-cells with addition of neon gas is presented. It is shown that the effect of collapse and revival of Dicke-type narrowing occurs for Rb nanocells containing N2 as buffer gas under 6 and 20 Torr pressure for the thickness L = λ /2 and L = where λ is the resonant λ, laser wavelength 794 nm (D1 line). Particularly for 6 Torr the line-width of the transmission spectrum for the thickness L =λ/2 is 2 times narrower than that for L = λ. For an ordinary Rb cell with L = 0.1 - 10 cm with addition of buffer gas, the velocity selective optical pumping/saturation (VSOP) resonances in saturated absorption spectra are fully suppressed when the buffer gas pressure > 0.5 Torr. A spectacular difference is that for L = λ, VSOP resonances located at the atomic transitions are still observable even when Ne pressure is ≥ 6 Torr. Narrowband fluorescence spectra of a nano-cell with L = λ/2 can be used as a convenient tool for online buffer gas pressure monitoring for the conditions when ordinary pressure gauges are unusable. Comparison of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect in a nano-cell filled with pure (without a buffer gas) Rb with another nano-cell, where buffer gas nitrogen is added, is presented. The use of N2 gas inside Rb nano-cells strongly extends the range of coupling laser detunings in which it is still possible to form EIT resonance.
This chapter deals with atom-wall interaction occurring in the "long-range" regime (typical distances: 1-1000 nm), when the electromagnetic fluctuations of an isolated atom are modified by the vicinity with a surface. Various regimes of interaction are discussed in an Introductory part, from Cavity Quantum ElectroDynamics modifications of the spontaneous emission, to Casimir effect, with emphasis on the atom-surface van der Waals interaction, characterized as a near-field interaction governed by a z-3 dependence. The major part of the Chapter focuses on the experimental measurements of this van der Waals interaction, reviewing various recent techniques, and insists upon optical techniques, and notably selective reflection spectroscopy which is particularly well-suited when excited atoms are considered. A review of various experiments illustrates the specific effects associated with a resonant coupling between the atomic excitation and surface modes, from van der Waals repulsion to surface-induced resonant transfer, and with anisotropy effects, including metastability transfer induced by a quadrupole contribution in the interaction. The effects of a thermal excitation of the surface -with a possible remote energy transfer to an atom-, and of interaction with nanobodies -which are intrinsically non planar- are notably discussed among the prospects.