Optical measurement of <Superscript>3</Superscript>He nuclear polarization for metastable exchange optical pumping studies at high magnetic field

An accurate optical method to measure the nuclear polarization of ³He atoms in the 1¹S ground state is described. The absorption of a weak, probe laser beam is used to measure the relative populations of two hyperfine sublevels of the 2³S metastable state that are not addressed by the pumping laser beam. Since a common spin temperature between the ground and metastable states is established by metastable exchange collisions, the nuclear polarization can be derived from these absorption measurements. The method is highly sensitive, robust, and can be used to monitor the dynamics of optical pumping and relaxation processes without interfering with them. It was successfully implemented and tested in the 0.45–2.0 T magnetic field range at the ³He gas pressure up to 67 mbar.     

STUDY OF OPTICAL PUMPING OF ALKALI ATOMIC BEAM IN STRONG MAGNETIC FIELDS

We have gained a very comprehensive set of results for infrared diffraction (10.6μm wavelength) from fabricated single grooves of reflection with widths in the range of 5μm to 65μm. The experimental results show that the diffraction can still occur when the groove width becomes comparable to or less than the wavelength of the probing light. Variations of the diffraction intensities have a very regular sinusoidal relationship with the polarization angle of the incident light; and the diffraction intensities are the when the incident light is TM polarized. However, the diffraction intensities will be a minimum when the incident light is TE polarized; and the biger the diffraction angle, the higher the rate of change of the diffractive intensity with increasing polarization angle of the incident light.     

Dual-frequency optical pumping for spin-polarizing a lithium atomic beam

A lithium-6 atomic beam is spin-polarized by means of optical pumping with a single-mode dye laser operating on the resonance transition. Simultaneous pumping of both hyperfine substates is achieved by frequency-splitting the laser light with an acousto-optic modulator. A polarization dependent signal, obtained by probing the optical activity of the beam with linearly polarized light, is utilized in a microprocessor-controlled laser stabilization scheme. The polarization is analyzed with a sextupole magnet and its overall value is 0.70 for an intensity of 1×10¹⁴ atms s⁻¹. By reversing the sense of circular polarization of the pumping light the atomic beam polarization is easily reversed in direction.     

Cold highly charged ions in a cryogenic Paul trap

Narrow optical transitions in highly charged ions (HCIs) are of particular interest for metrology and fundamental physics, exploiting the high sensitivity of HCIs to new physics. The highest sensitivity for a changing fine structure constant ever predicted for a stable atomic system is found in Ir^17?+?. However, laser spectroscopy of HCIs is hindered by the large (～ 10⁶ K) temperatures at which they are produced and trapped. An unprecedented improvement in such laser spectroscopy can be obtained when HCIs are cooled down to the mK range in a linear Paul trap. We have developed a cryogenic linear Paul trap in which HCIs will be sympathetically cooled by ⁹Be^?+? ions. Optimized optical access for laser light is provided while maintaining excellent UHV conditions. The Paul trap will be connected to an electron beam ion trap (EBIT) which is able to produce a wide range of HCIs. This EBIT will also provide the first experimental input needed for the determination of the transition energies in Ir^17?+?, enabling further laser-spectroscopic investigations of this promising HCI.     

All-optical continuous-tunable image switch based on nonlinear photoinduced anisotropy in bacteriorhodopsin film

Using nonlinear photoinduced anisotropy in bacteriorhodopsin (bR) film, we presented and demonstrated an image switch in which the output can be tuned continuously by the intensity of a pumping beam. A laser with wavelength 532 nm was used as the pumping beam, and a He-Ne laser at wavelength 632.8 nm was used as the probe beam. Without pumping light, a little of polarized probe beam can transmit the crossed polarizers and the output is very low. With the presence of pumping light, owing to photoinduced anisotropy in the bR film, a portion of the probe beam transmits the crossed polarizers, depending on the intensity of the pumping beam. For the low-intensity probe beam (0.44 mW/cm²), the output is dependent on a wide range of pumping beam (2-30 mW/cm²). On the contrary, for the high-intensity probe beam (0.80 mW/cm²), the output is dependent on a narrow range of pumping beam (2-7 mW/cm²).     

Erbium ion luminescence of silicon nanocrystal layers in a silicon dioxide matrix measured under strong optical excitation

The photoluminescence (PL) spectra and kinetics of erbium-doped layers of silicon nanocrystals dispersed in a silicon dioxide matrix (nc-Si/SiO₂) are studied. It was found that optical excitation of nc-Si can be transferred with a high efficiency to Er³⁺ ions present in the surrounding oxide. The efficiency of energy transfer increases with increasing pumping photon energy and intensity. The process of Er³⁺ excitation is shown to compete successfully with nonradiative recombination in the nc-Si/SiO₂ structures. The Er³⁺ PL lifetime was found to decrease under intense optical pumping, which implies the establishment of inverse population in the Er³⁺ system. The results obtained demonstrate the very high potential of erbium-doped nc-Si/SiO₂ structures when used as active media for optical amplifiers and light-emitting devices operating at a wavelength of 1.5 μm.     

Conditional preparation of X (2) macroscopic entangled states

Two experimental arrangements consisting of coupled spontaneous parametric down-converters with type-I phase matching pumped simultaneously by a powerful optical field in a coherent state through a balanced beam splitter and linear optical elements are proposed for conditional preparation of macroscopic entangled states in output pumping modes of the studied system. Successful generation of the macroscopic entangled state in the pumping modes is unambiguously heralded by coincident detection of two photons in the generated signal and idler modes of the system. We calculate the amount of entanglement and probabilities of successfully observing the X ⁽²⁾ macroscopic entangled states in the total wavefunction. We show that the proposed schemes can be used to obtain a new type of macroscopic entangled states. The text was submitted by author in English.     

非理想氢原子束真空环境长程传输模拟研究

模拟研究了非理想氢原子束在真空环境下的长程传输效应。根据中性化程度的不同,将非理想束分为欠中性束和过中性束。通过建立束流传输的准电磁模型,研究了束流密度、中性化因子、空间磁场和弹性散射等因素对非理想氢原子束的影响。结果表明:对于欠中性束,负氢离子的存在对氢原子的传输几乎没有影响,因此欠中性束的发射装置可以考虑去除偏置磁场,以减小设备体积和质量;对于过中性束,束流损失率与束流密度和中性化因子有关,即束流密度越大,束流损失越大;中性化因子越高,束流损失就越高;而无论是欠中性束还是过中性束,空间磁场和粒子间的弹性散射对其传输都没有影响。     

PRODUCTION OF POLARIZED 7Li ATOMIC BEAM IN STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD BY OPTICAL PUMPING

The production of a polarized ⁷Li atomic beam in a strong magnetic field was experimentally studied by laser optical pumping of a single ground hyperfine F level. It was shown that nearly complete negative and partial positive polarizations of ⁷Li atoms could be realized under appropriate conditions by this pumping scheme, which was in agreement with the rate equation calculations. Based on the analyses of transition probabilities, the maximum polarizations for various transitions and light polarizations were given.     

Production of a nuclear spin polarized23Na-beam by optical pumping

Nuclear spin polarization of an atomic²³Na-beam was produced by a combination of optical pumping with a dye laser and a sextupole magnet and, alternatively, by optical pumping with two dye lasers. The maximum value measured for the vector polarization wasP _z=0.86+0.08, using beam foil spectroscopy. Further improvements of polarized ion sources based on this principle are discussed.     

Production of a highly polarized sodium atomic beam

Two experimental techniques for preparing atoms in selected states were combined in order to obtain a highly polarized sodium beam: Firstly state selection by an inhomogeneous magnetic field and secondly optical pumping with laser light. This results in a dominating population of the 3s ² S _1/2 ground state levelF=2M _F=+2 (or alternativelyF=2M _F=−2) corresponding to high electron as well as nuclear spin polarization. Polarization values of 0.85±0.05 were easily obtained. The sign of the polarization can be reversed by changing the light polarization. The method can also be applied to other atoms. In addition, it is demonstrated that the optical pumping process allows a determination of the spin-selectivity of hexapole magnets.     

Improved gain for the Ar 2 * excimer laser at 126 nm

Argon was excited by intense electron beam pumping. The optical gain obtainable in Ar ₂ ^2* at 126 nm was investigated as a function of gas pressure and pumping density. The gas pressure necessary to achieve a gain of 10%/cm is reduced from 3.2 to 1.0 MPa if the gas is cooled at 170 K. The effect is partly due to reduced absorption by the removal of impurities. The results allow one a new approach to construct high-power lasers in the vacuum ultraviolet below 150 nm.     

Influence of atomic alignment on crossover signals in saturation spectroscopy

The crossover resonance between the atomic transitions² S _1/2(F=2)→² P _1/2(F′=1, 2), observed in the saturation spectrum of sodium, was found to be sensitive to the atomic orientation of the ground state, produced by velocity selective optical pumping. For zero magnetic field and the same linear polarization of saturating and probing beam, a negative signal was recorded for the crossover, corresponding to an increase in absorption of the probing beam. Application of a sufficiently strong magnetic field perpendicular to the polarization vector causes the destruction of the alignment, leading to a change in sign for the crossover intensity, i.e., to an enhanced transmission of the probing beam. It was shown experimentally that an increase in the atomic transit time has the same effect. Using optical pumping theory all qualitative features could be accounted for.     

Erzeugung polarisierter Elektronenstrahlen durch optisches Pumpen

The valence electrons in sodium vapour were aligned by optical pumping to a polarization between 5% and 15%. An electron beam of 10^?12 A current, 10^?2rad divergency and 1 mm diameter has been obtained by ionisation of the sodium vapour with uv-light. This electron beam was polarized up to 2% as measured by Mott scattering.     

Effect of the Optical Pumping and Magnetic Field on the States of Phase Separation Domains in Eu0.8Ce0.2Mn2O5

The effect of optical pumping and applied magnetic field on the characteristics of ferromagnetic layers in one-dimensional superlattices is studied. At low enough temperatures, these layers correspond to phase separation domains in RMn₂O₅ and R_0.8Ce_0.2Mn₂O₅ multiferroics. The formation of such domains occurs owing to the charge ordering of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions and to the finite probability for e_g electrons to tunnel between these pairs of ions. The volume occupied by such superlattices is rather small, and they can be treated as isolated ferromagnetic semiconductor heterostructures, spontaneously formed in the host crystal. The sequences of ferromagnetic resonances related to the superlattice layers in Eu_0.8Ce_0.2Mn₂O₅ are studied. The characteristics of these resonances give information on the properties of such layers. For the first time, it is demonstrated that the optical pumping gives rise to a new metastable state of superlattices, which can be recovered by the magnetic field cycling to the state existing before the optical pumping. It is found that the superlattices recovered by the magnetic field exist up to temperatures higher than those in as-grown crystals.

     

The energy of thermal electrons in electron beam created helium discharges

We have measured the electron energy of the thermal group of electrons in both longitudinal and transverse electron beam created helium glow discharges. The measurement technique employs the ratio of intensities of spectral lines in the 2s³S?np³P He I series. Values of kT_e between 0.07 and 0.11 eV were obtained. These energies are typical of the beam-generated electric field free plasmas. The competitive loss of helium ions by recombination and by charge transfer in a He?Hg electron beam created plasma is calculated. The results are applied to the Hg⁺ laser pumping scheme using a electron beam created He?Hg plasma.     

Velocity selective optical pumping and repumping effects with counter and copropagating laser radiations for D<Subscript>2</Subscript> lines of rubidium

The effects of a strong control or pump laser, counter propagating or copropagating with the probe beam, on the probe absorption spectra of ⁸⁵Rb and ⁸⁷Rb-D₂ transitions have been investigated inside a room temperature Rb vapour cell. In both cases a set of strong velocity selective resonance dips are observed at different velocities. Their movements across the Doppler broadened probe absorption profile have been studied for different lock frequencies of the control laser. These spectra are modified by optical pumping effects due to the presence of another hyperfine component of the ground state. A repumping laser, from the dark hyperfine component of the ground level transfers almost 75% of the atoms from the dark state to the pump probe cycle hence reducing the optical pumping effect. A numerical simulation is done to explain the observed spectra. The effect of a control laser on the Lamb dip spectrum of the probe laser has also been investigated. The control beam is used to improve the strength of a weak hyperfine dip on the Doppler broadened probe spectrum. The strength of the hyperfine dip increases by a factor of 3.2 in presence of the control laser. The observed dips show that pump-probe spectroscopy can be used as velocity selectors of atoms.