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arXiv:physics/0603194 · Physical Review Letters

Electric-Field-Induced Symmetry Breaking of Angular Momentum Distribution in Atoms

Marcis P. Auzinsh, Kaspars Blushs, R. Ferber, F. Gahbauer, Andrey Jarmola, M. Tamanis

Published Jul 27, 2006• 14 citations
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Abstract

We report the experimental observation of alignment to orientation conversion in the 7D3/2 and 9D3/2 states of Cs in the presence of an external dc electric field and without the influence of magnetic fields or atomic collisions. Initial alignment of angular momentum states was created by two-step excitation with linearly polarized laser radiation. The appearance of transverse orientation of angular momentum was confirmed by the observation of circularly polarized light. We present experimentally measured signals and compare them with the results of a detailed theoretical model based on the optical Bloch equations. The effect is odd under time reversal and should be taken into account in ever more sensitive searches for an electron electric dipole moment.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.97.043002

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We report the experimental observation of alignment to orientation conversion in the 7D3/2 and 9D3/2 states of Cs in the presence of an external dc electric field and without the influence of magnetic fields or atomic collisions. Initial alignment of angular momentum states was created by two-step excitation with linearly polarized laser radiation. The appearance of transverse orientation of angular momentum was confirmed by the observation of circularly polarized light. We present experimentally measured signals and compare them with the results of a detailed theoretical model based on the optical Bloch equations. The effect is odd under time reversal and should be taken into account in ever more sensitive searches for an electron electric dipole moment.
We present a detailed theoretical model and experimentally measured signals of alignment to orientation conversion (AOC) in the 7D3/2 and 9D3/2 states of cesium atoms in the presence of an external dc electric field [1]. Alignment produced by linearly polarized light can be converted into orientation by the quadratic Stark effect in an electric field if the angle between the electric field and the polarization vector of the exciting radiation is neither 0 or 90 degrees and if there are magnetic sublevels with Δm = ±1 that cross as the electric field is scanned. The appearance of orientation is verified by the appearance of a net circular polarization in the laser induced fluorescence. The theoretical model is based on the optical Bloch equation and extends models previously developed to solve the rate equations for Zeeman coherences in single-step [2] and double step laser excitation [3] of atoms. The agreement between the simulated and measured signals is excellent.
In this study we explored the angular momentum alignment-to-orientation conversion occurring in various alkali metals -- K, Rb, Cs. We used a theoretical model that is based on Optical Bloch equations and uses the density matrix formalism. Our model includes the interaction of all neighboring hyperfine levels, the mixing of magnetic sublevels in an external magnetic field, the coherence properties of the exciting laser radiation, and the Doppler effect. Additionally we simulated signals where the ground- or the excited-state coherent processes were switched off allowing us to determine the origins of obtained signals. We also performed experiments on Cs atoms with two laser beams: linearly polarised Cs D1 pump and circularly polarized Cs D2 probe. We used the pump beam to create angular momentum alignment in the ground state and observed the transmission signal of the probe beam as we changed the magnetic field. Full analysis of the experimentally obtained transmission signal from a single circularly polarized probe laser component is provided.
Abstract In this study we explored the possibilities for observing the angular momentum alignment-to-orientation conversion (AOC) in the ground state of various alkali metals: K, Rb, Cs. For theoretical analysis we used a model that is based on the Optical Bloch equations for the density matrix. In our model we took into account the interaction of the laser light with all hyperfine levels, which are mixed as the magnetic field increases. The radiation’s coherence properties were also included. Finally, the results were averaged over the Doppler profile. Additionally we simulated signals where the ground- or the excited-state coherent processes were numerically switched off in order to determine the origins of the features of the obtained signals. We also performed experiments on Cs atoms with two laser beams: a linearly polarized Cs D 1 pump and circularly polarized Cs D 2 probe. We used the pump beam to create angular momentum alignment in the ground state and observed the transmission signal of the probe beam as we changed the magnetic field. A detailed analysis of the experimentally obtained transmission signal from a single circularly polarized probe laser component is provided. Finally, prospects for observing AOC experimentally are discussed, as well as experiments were even a weak AOC signal could lead to systematic errors.
We present experimental and theoretical studies of coherent excitation of magnetic sublevels in nD states of cesium that cross in an external electric field. Coherent excitation of mFmagnetic sublevels of hyperfine F levels with DeltamF= plusmn2 leads to resonances in the linearly polarized laser induced fluorescence (LIF), while coherent excitation of magnetic sublevels with DeltamF= plusmn1 leads to alignment to orientation conversion (AOC). From the resonance signals we were able to measure atomic constants, such as the hyperfine constant A and the tensor polarizability alpha2(Auzinsh et al., 2006). AOC involves the deformation of the spatial distribution of an atom's angular momentum and is of interest as a background in certain types of experiments that search for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of the electron.
We discuss experimental and theoretical studies of coherent excitation of magnetic sublevels in nD states of cesium that cross in an external electric field. Crossings of mF magnetic sublevels of hyperfine F levels with &Dgr;mF = ±2 lead to resonances in the linearly polarized laser induced fluorescence, while crossings with &Dgr;mF = ±1 lead to resonances in the circularly polarized laser induced fluorescence. These resonances can be exploited to observe alignment to orientation conversion. From the level crossing signals it is possible to measure atomic properties, such as the tensor polarizability &agr;2 and the hyperfine constant A. Alignment to orientation conversion involves the deformation of the spatial distribution of an atom's angular momentum.
We investigated experimentally and theoretically angular momentum alignment-to-orientation conversion created by the joint interaction of laser radiation and an external magnetic field with atomic rubidium at room temperature. In particular, we were interested in alignment-to-orientation conversion in the atomic ground state. In the experiment the laser frequency was fixed to the hyperfine transitions of the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of rubidium. To simulate the measured signals we used a theoretical model that takes into account all neighboring hyperfine levels, the mixing of magnetic sublevels in an external magnetic field, the coherence properties of the exciting laser radiation, and the Doppler effect. The experiments were carried out by exciting the atoms with linearly polarized laser radiation. Two orthogonal circularly polarized laser induced fluorescence (LIF) components were detected and afterward their difference was taken. The combined LIF signals originating from the hyperfine magnetic sublevel transitions of 85Rb^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb and 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb rubidium isotopes were included. The alignment-to-orientation conversion can be incontrovertibly identified in the difference signals for various laser frequencies, and a change in signal shapes can be observed when the laser power density is increased. We studied the formation of and the underlying physical processes behind the observed signals of the LIF components and their difference by performing an analysis of the influence of incoherent and coherent effects. We performed simulations of theoretical signals that showed the influence of ground-state coherent effects on the LIF difference signal.