A. M. Shalagin

An alkali metal vapor laser amplifier

The operation of a transversely diode-pumped alkali metal vapor laser amplifier is theoretically studied. The amplifier operation is described by a rather intricate system of differential equations, which can be solved in the general case only numerically. In the case of intense incident radiation, an analytic solution is obtained which makes it possible to determine any energy characteristics of the laser amplifier and to find the optimal parameters of the active medium and pump radiation (temperature, buffer gas pressure, and intensity and width of the pump radiation spectrum).

Effects of the velocity dependence of the collision frequency on the Dicke line narrowing

The effect of the velocity (v) dependence of the transport collision frequency νtrv on the Dicke line narrowing is analyzed in terms of the strong-collision model generalized to velocity-dependent collision frequencies (the so-called kangaroo model). This effect has been found to depend on the mass ratio of the resonance (M) and buffer (Mb) particles, β = Mb/M: it is at a minimum for β ≪ 1 and reaches a maximum for β ≳ 3. A power-law particle interaction potential, U(r) ∝ r−n, is used as an example to show that, compared to νtrv(v) = const (n = 4), the line narrows if νtrv(v) decreases with increasing v (n < 4) and broadens if ν trv(v) increases with v(n > 4). At β ≳ 3, the line width can increase [compared to νtrv(v) = const] by 5 and 12% for the potentials with n = 6 and n ≳ 10, respectively; for the potentials with n = 1 (Coulomb potential) and n = 3, it can decrease by more than half and 6%, respectively. The line profile I(Ω) has been found to be weakly sensitive to νtrv(v) at some detuning Ωc of the radiation frequency Ω. Dicke line narrowing is used as an example to analyze the collisional transport of nonequilibrium in the resonance-particle velocity distribution in a laser field. The transport effect is numerically shown to be weak. This allows simpler approximate one-dimensional quantum kinetic equations to be used instead of the three-dimensional ones to solve spectroscopic problems in which it is important to take into account the velocity dependence of the collision frequency when the phase memory is preserved during collisions.

Emission anomalous optical magnetic resonances in a mixture of even neon isotopes

Unusual resonances have been detected in the dependence of the discharge glow in neon on the longitudinal magnetic field. The resonances appear in fairly high magnetic fields and are observed only at low gas pressures and exclusively in a mixture of 20Ne and 22Ne isotopes. This phenomenon is an evidence of collective resonant radiation processes involving atoms of different neon isotopes.

Lasing on the resonance transition in sodium atoms under nonresonant optical excitation

Coherent emission on the 3P–3S resonance transition (D line) of nonresonantly excited sodium atoms in a buffer gas atmosphere is studied experimentally and theoretically. Both forward and backward coherent emission on the D lines is observed relative to the propagation direction of a pump beam whose frequency is blue-shifted from resonance. The divergence of the emitted radiation does not exceed that of the pump beam. The emission is due to the population inversion created on the “operating” transition when the pump is far detuned from resonance and the buffer gas pressure is sufficiently high. It is found that both emission intensity and the detuning range where this phenomenon is observed increase with the buffer gas pressure.

Probe field spectroscopy in three-level Λ systems under arbitrary collisional relaxation of low-frequency coherence

We investigate theoretically the spectrum of weak probe field absorption by three-level atoms with the Λ configuration of levels in the field of a strong electromagnetic wave acting on an adjacent transition and colliding with buffer gas atoms. Analysis is carried out for the general case of arbitrary collisional relaxation of low-frequency coherence at a transition between two lower levels. It is shown that, in the absence of collisional relaxation of low-frequency coherence, the probe field spectrum always exhibits clearly manifested anisotropy with respect to mutual orientation of wavevectors of the strong and probe radiation (even under small Doppler broadening). It is found that the probe field spectrum may acquire under certain conditions supernarrow resonances with a width proportional to the diffusion coefficient for atoms interacting with radiation. This fact may form the basis for a spectroscopic method for measuring transport frequencies of collisions between absorbing and buffer particles. A large-amplitude supernarrow resonance (with an amplitude much larger than the amplitude of the resonance near the line center), which is observed in the far wing of the absorption line, exhibits collisional narrowing (a nonlinear spectroscopic analog of the Dicke effect) at collision frequencies several orders of magnitude lower that the Doppler linewidth. Simple working equations proposed for describing the probe field spectrum are convenient for experimental data processing.

Population inversion on transitions to the ground state of atoms upon nonresonance absorption of laser radiation

Lasing at the resonance transitions (D1− and D2−lines) of sodium was observed in the superradiance mode upon nonresonance optical excitation in the presence of a buffer gas. The dependences of the lasing intensity on the exciting radiation intensity and on the detuning of its frequency from the frequencies of resonance transitions were studied. It is found that, under specific conditions of the experiment (high pressure of a buffer gas and a rather high radiation intensity), in the case of a large positive detuning of the exciting radiation frequency from the resonance (“working”) transition frequency, the population inversion is produced at the “ working” transition, which results in lasing.

Polarization phenomena in the transparency and adsorption effects induced by the field of counterpropagating waves

The physical processes that form the resonances of saturated absorption and magnetic scanning in the field of counterpropagating waves of an arbitrary intensity when their polarizations change are numerically simulated. The atomic transition with level moment J = 1 is used as an example to show that the anomalies in the experimental saturated absorption spectra are determined by the degree of opening of the atomic transition. In the case of magnetic scanning, the anomalies are caused by the magnetic coherence induced by the wave fields at the levels of the lower state rather than by its transfer from the excited states, as was proposed earlier.

Probe Field Spectroscopy in Two-Level Systems with Arbitrary Phase Memory in Collisions

The spectrum of weak probe field absorption (amplification) by two-level atoms experiencing collisions with buffer gas atoms in a strong resonance laser field is studied theoretically. Analysis is carried out for systems with a weak Doppler broadening under relatively mild constraints on the strong field intensity for the general case of an arbitrary change in the phase of the radiation-induced dipole moment in elastic collisions of gas particles. It is shown that, in spite of uniform broadening of the absorption line, the probe field spectrum exhibits a clearly manifested anisotropy to mutual orientation of the wavevectors of strong and probe radiation. It is found that the width of resonances in the probe field spectrum under definite conditions (that can easily be created in experiments) is proportional to the diffusion coefficient for atoms interacting with radiation. This fact can form the basis of the spectroscopic method for measuring the transport frequencies of collisions between particles absorbing radiation and buffer particles. It is shown that phase memory effects in collisions strongly modify the probe field spectrum both qualitatively and quantitatively. Simple operative formulas proposed for the probe field spectrum are convenient for experimental data processing.

On the collisional transfer of nonequilibrium in the velocity distribution of resonant particles in a laser radiation field

The collisional transfer of nonequilibrium in the velocity distribution of resonant particles in a laser radiation field is investigated theoretically. It is shown numerically that the transfer effect is weak. This makes it possible to use simpler approximate one-dimensional quantum kinetic equations instead of three-dimensional equations to solve spectroscopy and light-induced gas kinetics problems, where it is important to take account of the velocity dependence of the collision frequency. It is shown for anomalous light-induced drift, calculations of which are most sensitive to neglecting the transfer effect, that in a wide range of spectroscopy and light-induced gas kinetics problems the transfer of nonequilibrium can be neglected without risking the loss of important fine details of the phenomena being described.

Role of spontaneous emission through operating transition in probe-field spectroscopy of two-level systems

Analytical and numerical investigations are carried out of the effect of spontaneous decay through operating transition on the shape of a resonance in the work of a probe field under a strong field applied to the transition. A narrow nonlinear resonance arising on transitions with long-living lower level in the work of a probe field can manifest itself in the form of a traditional minimum and a peak as a function of the first Einstein coefficient for the operating transition. The transformation of the resonance from a minimum to a peak is attributed to the specific character of relaxation of lower-level population beatings on a closed or almost closed transition (the decay of the upper level occurs completely or almost completely through the operating transition).