J. Mlynek

Raman Heterodyne Detection of Radio-Frequency Resonances in Sm Vapor: Effects of Velocity-Changing Collisions

We present results on Raman heterodyne detection of rf-induced sublevel coherence in a Doppler-broadened optical transition under conditions of velocity changing collisions (VCC). As a specific example, we report studies on Zeeman resonances in a J=1→J’=O transition in atomic samarium vapor in the presence of rare-gas perturbers [1].

Nonlinear Magneto-Optic Effects in a J=1 to J’=0 Transition

Magneto-optic effects have proven a useful tool in linear spectroscopy for many years. Systematic studies of the magneto-optic effects in intense coherent light fields, however, do not seem to have been performed up to now. In this paper we give evidence for the existence of nonlinear versions of the Faraday effect and the Voigt effect. They can occur in very low magnetic fields, corresponding to Larmor frequencies in the kHz range, at modest laser powers.

Raman Heterodyne Spectroscopy of Hertzian Resonances

In spectroscopy one often wants to measure small energy splittings in ground states and electronically excited states in atoms and molecules with high precision and sensitivity. Such sublevel or Hertzian resonances with typical splitting frequencies in the radiofrequency range (1 MHZ-1 GHz) yield valuable information on the atomic structure; the sublevel splittings may arise, e.g., from hyperfine interactions or from external fields (Zeeman or Stark splittings). Moreover, the linewidth of these Hertzian resonances gives us a knowledge on relaxation mechanisms that affect the sublevel populations and coherences; the corresponding decay rates are thus useful to characterize the dynamics of the atomic system.