H. Failache

Noise spectroscopy of nonlinear magneto-optical resonances in Rb vapor

Nonlinear magneto-optical resonances occurring for near-zero magnetic field are studied in Rb vapor using light-noise spectroscopy. With a balanced detection polarimeter, we observe high contrast variations of the noise power (at fixed analysis frequency) carried by diode laser light resonant with the 5S{sub 1/2} (F=2){yields}5P{sub 1/2} (F=1) transition {sup 87}Rb and transmitted through a rubidium vapor cell as a function of magnetic field B. A symmetric resonance doublet of anticorrelated noise is observed for orthogonal polarizations around B=0 as a manifestation of ground-state coherence. We also observe sideband noise resonances when the magnetic field produces an atomic Larmor precession at a frequency corresponding to one-half of the analysis frequency. The resonances on the light fluctuations are the consequence of phase to amplitude noise conversion owing to nonlinear coherence effects in the response of the atomic medium to the fluctuating field. A theoretical model (derived from linearized Bloch equations) is presented that reproduces the main qualitative features of the experimental signals under simple assumptions.

Spectroscopic observation of the rotational doppler effect

We report on the first spectroscopic observation of the rotational Doppler shift associated with light beams carrying orbital angular momentum. The effect is evidenced as the broadening of a Hanle electromagnetically induced transparency coherence resonance on Rb vapor when the two incident Laguerre-Gaussian laser beams have opposite topological charges. The observations closely agree with theoretical predictions.

Polarization squeezing of light by single passage through an atomic vapor

We have studied relative-intensity fluctuations for a variable set of orthogonal elliptic polarization components of a linearly polarized laser beam traversing a resonant

Light-induced atomic desorption and diffusion of Rb from porous alumina

^{87}

Temporal buildup of electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption resonances in degenerate two-level transitions

Rb vapor cell. Significant polarization squeezing at the threshold level (-3dB) required for the implementation of several continuous variables quantum protocols was observed. The extreme simplicity of the setup, based on standard polarization components, makes it particularly convenient for quantum information applications.

OPTICAL-FIBER DIAMETER DETERMINATION BY SCATTERING AT OBLIQUE INCIDENCE

We present a study of light-induced atom desorption (LIAD) of an alkali-metal atom (Rb) in porous alumina. We observe the variation due to LIAD of the rubidium density in a vapor cell as a function of illumination time, intensity, and wavelength. The simple and regular structure of the alumina pores allows a description of the atomic diffusion in the porous medium in which the diffusion constant only depends on the known pore geometry and the atomic sticking time to the pore wall. A simple one-dimensional theoretical model is presented which reproduces the essential features of the observed signals. Fitting of the model to the experimental data gives access to the diffusion constant and consequently the atom-wall sticking time and its dependence on light intensity and wavelength. The nonmonotonic dependence of the LIAD yield on the illumination light frequency is indicative of the existence of Rb clusters in the porous medium.

Vectorial atomic magnetometer based on coherent transients of laser absorption in Rb vapor

The temporal evolution of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and absorption (EIA) coherence resonances in pump-probe spectroscopy of degenerate two-level atomic transition is studied for light intensities below saturation. Analytical expressions for the transient absorption spectra are given for simple model systems and a model for the calculation of the time-dependent response of realistic atomic transitions, where the Zeeman degeneracy is fully accounted for, is presented. EIT and EIA resonances have a similar (opposite sign) time-dependent line shape, however, the EIA evolution is slower and thus narrower lines are observed for long interaction time. Qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions is obtained for the transient probe absorption on the {sup 85}Rb D{sub 2} line in an atomic beam experiment.

Theoretical study of dark resonances in micrometric thin cells

A new nondestructive method for determination of the outer diameter of optical fibers is described. The principle of this technique is based on observing interference maxima in the scattered light from a fiber that is side illuminated by a laser beam at oblique incidence. This technique is easy to implement and can be applied to a fiber with an inhomogeneous and large core.

Dark resonances in thin cells for miniaturized atomic-frequency references

We have designed and tested an atomic vectorial magnetometer based on the analysis of the coherent oscillatory transients in the transmission of resonant laser light through a Rb vapor cell. We show that the oscillation amplitudes at the Larmor frequency and its first harmonic are related through a simple formula to the angles determining the orientation of the magnetic field vector. The magnetometer was successfully applied to the measurement of the ambient magnetic field.

Rb optical resonance inside a random porous medium.

We investigate theoretically dark resonance spectroscopy for a dilute atomic vapor confined in a thin (micrometric) cell. We identify the physical parameters characterizing the spectra and study their influence. We focus on a Hanle-type situation, with an optical irradiation under normal incidence and resonant with the atomic transition. The dark resonance spectrum is predicted to combine broad wings with a sharp maximum at line center, which can be singled out when detecting a derivative of the dark resonance spectrum. This narrow signal derivative, shown to broaden only sublinearly with the cell length, is a signature of the contribution of atoms slow enough to fly between the cell windows in a time as long as the characteristic ground state optical pumping time. We suggest that this dark resonance spectroscopy in micrometric thin cells could be a suitable tool for probing the effective velocity distribution in the thin cell arising from the atomic desorption processes, and notably to identify the limiting factors affecting desorption under a grazing incidence.