基于光偏振旋转效应的碱金属气室原子极化率测量方法及影响因素分析

利用原子自旋效应能够实现超高灵敏度的惯性和磁场测量。一类操控原子自旋处于无自旋交换弛豫态的器件可以进行物理参数测量。碱金属气室为该类器件的敏感表头。碱金属原子密度与原子极化率是碱金属气室的重要参数,对研究原子自旋处于无自旋交换弛豫态有着重要的作用。光的偏振效应在量子计算和原子物理研究中发挥了重要作用。利用光的偏振效应能够实现对碱金属原子密度与原子极化率的检测。提出一种基于光偏振旋转效应的碱金属原子极化率测量方法。首先对碱金属气室加恒定磁场,利用激光作为检测光,根据光偏振旋转原理,检测通过气室的偏振光的法拉第旋转角,得到碱金属气室原子密度。然后将碱金属原子抽运,利用激光作为检测光,检测通过气室的偏振光的偏转角,得到碱金属原子极化率。该方法在测量原子极化率的过程中也测量了碱金属原子密度,实现利用一套系统测量两个重要参数,具有快速测量和高灵敏度等特点,简化了实验设备及过程。对两种偏转角进行仿真分析,得到该方法实验时检测激光波长变化对偏转角的影响,根据仿真图得到检测激光波长的可取范围,验证了该方法的可行性。最后分析激光器波长波动与磁场波动对其测量精度的影响,提出实验对激光器与磁场的要求。     

Optical characterization and manipulation of alkali metal nanoparticles in porous silica

Rubidium and cesium metal nanoparticles were grown in nanoporous silica samples placed in alkali vapor cells. Their size and shape were investigated by measuring the sample optical transmittance. Spectral changes due to photodesorption processes activated by weak light were also analyzed. Alkali atoms photoejected from the silica walls diffuse through and out of the nanopores, modifying both the nanoparticle distribution in the silica matrix and the atomic vapor pressure in the cell volume. The number of rubidium and cesium atoms burst out of the samples was measured as a function of photon energy and fluence. The optical absorption measurements together with the analysis of the photodesorption yield give a complete picture of the processes triggered by light inside the nanopores. We show that atomic photodesorption, upon proper choice of light frequency and intensity, induces either growth or evaporation of nanosized alkali metal clusters. Cluster size and shape are determined by the host-guest interaction.     

Optical properties of impurity atoms in pressurized superfluid helium

We report on the optical properties of alkali atoms (Cs and Rb) in the pressurized superfluid helium. We observed excitation and emission spectra at various pressures from the saturated vapor pressure to about 25 atm. The theoretical calculations on the basis of the atomic bubble model have also been worked out. The qualitative agreement between the theoretical and experimental results with respect to the peak shift, the linewidth, and their pressure dependence is achieved in the framework of the spherical atomic bubble model. TheD ₂ excitation spectra with the double peaks are interpreted qualitatively in terms of the Jahn-Teller effect, indicating the existence of the nontotally symmetrical density distribution of the surrounding helium atoms.     

电子束激发原子对金属蒸发的影响

在原子蒸气激光同位素分离工程(AVLIS)中,金属受电子束的加热而熔化,并向真空蒸发,蒸气原子通过电子束的过程中,可能与电子发生非弹性碰撞,被激发到高能级.在膨胀的过程中,高能级的原子通过与原子的非弹性碰撞消激发,将原子内的电子能量转换为蒸气的平动能.为了分析电子束与原子作用对蒸气的密度、速度和温度等物理特性的影响,采样直接模拟蒙特卡罗法(DSMC)模拟钆原子蒸发过程.模拟结果表明,电子束与原子的作用使得原子蒸气的速度增加,密度减小,温度升高 关键词： 金属蒸发 AVLIS DSMC 电子枪     

Efficiency of photodesorption of Rb atoms collected on polymer organic film in vapor-cell

The efficiency of photodesorption of Rb atoms previously collected on polymer organic film has been studied in detail. This study was carried out in a Pyrex glass cell of which the inner surface was covered with (poly)dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film and illuminated by a powerful flash lamp. The desorption dynamic of the Rb atoms density in the cell caused by the illumination and percentage of desorbed atoms was studied by using of Rb resonance lamp and free running diode laser as sources of probing light. It was determined that 85 percent collected chemical active Rb atoms and stored during 16 s in the closed cell, 75 percent in the pumped cell can be desorbed by single flash of the lamp. The number of stored atoms decays with a characteristic time of 60 min in isolated cell and with a time 12.4 min in a pumped cell. We believe that this efficient method of collection and fast realization of atoms or molecules could be used for enhancement of sensitivity of existed sensors for the trace detection of various elements (including toxic or radioactive ones) which is important to environmental applications, medicine or in geology. The effect might help to construct an efficient light-driven atomic source for a magneto-optical trap in a case of extremely low vapor density or very weak flux of atoms, such as artificial radioactive alkali atoms.     

基于原子吸收光谱的碱金属气室内多种混合气体压强测量方法

碱金属气室是基于原子无自旋交换碰撞弛豫的超高灵敏惯性和磁场测量装置的核心敏感器件。碱金属气室内气体的含量会对原子的弛豫以及系统其他参数的选取产生很大的影响,因此精密测量气室内混合气体各自的压强具有重要的意义。当气室内存在气体时谱线会出现压力展宽和频移,且压力展宽远大于自然展宽和多普勒展宽,因此仅考虑压力展宽。利用压力展宽、频移的大小与气体压强存在的函数关系,提出一种基于原子吸收光谱的碱金属气室内多种混合气体压强测量方法。通过扫描碱金属原子的吸收光谱,得到光学深度曲线,并用洛伦兹函数对其拟合,测得多种混合气体引起的单种碱金属原子的混叠压力展宽和频移,再根据已知的单种、单位压强气体引起的单种碱金属原子的压力展宽和频移,联立计算得到多种气体各自的压强。当存在n种碱金属时,最多可以测量4n种混合气体的压强。仿真结果表明,该方法适用于入射激光未被原子完全吸收的情况;激光功率和频率的波动在1%～10%的数量级时,测量精度影响低于0.4%的数量级,而温度波动在1%～10%的数量级时,测量精度影响高达30%的数量级。     

Radiation trapping in an alkali-vapor-noble-gas mixture excited by a strong laser pulse

We analyze the nonlinear, non-stationary radiation trapping process in a cell filled with a noble gas and an alkali vapor excited by a short intense laser pulse. We derive analytical approximations for the total density of the excited atoms, and for the radiation emerging from the cell. The considered lineshapes are pure Doppler, Voigt, and pure Lorentzian profiles. We confirm that the emergent radiation can decay faster than with the natural lifetime of the atomic transition. We also show that as we increase the noble gas pressure, the decay of the emergent radiation becomes slower at early times and faster at late times.     

Frequency-dependent optical pumping in atomic ?-systems

We consider the effects of optical pumping on the conversion of laser-frequency modulation into intensity modulation by an atomic absorption line in a vapor of alkali atoms driven in a ?-configuration. It is found that, due to optical pumping in combination with the excited-state hyperfine structure, the absorption line shape is distorted substantially as the Fourier frequency of the FM is changed. The most significant effect of the distortion is a shift of the apparent line center, which depends on how the frequency of the modulation compares with the optical pumping rate. This shift has implications for locking lasers to atomic transitions and also for FM-AM noise conversion in atomic vapors.     

On the effect of photoinduced emission of alkali atoms from a paraffin coating on the rate of spin relaxation of atoms in the volume of a cell

The effect of photoinduced emission of alkali atoms from the paraffin coating of a cell on the spin relaxation time of the atoms was studied experimentally. No effect was detected. It was additionally found that long irradiation of the cell surface by light with a power density of about 1 mW/cm² does not cause any degradation of the coating in spite of almost complete removal of the atoms from the coating due to their photostimulated diffusion in the layer and photodesorption. After the irradiation is complete, the surface contacting with the alkali vapor is again saturated with the alkali atoms with a time constant of about 1 h.     

双光子吸收碱金属蒸气激光器研究进展

蓝紫激光和中红外激光在基础研究和国防工程中有重要的应用前景。单光子吸收的碱金属蒸气激光器具有量子效率高、受激发射截面大和热管理性能好等优点,近些年来已成为激光领域中研究热点之一,目前已实现k W量级的输出。双光子吸收的碱金属蒸气激光器可实现蓝紫激光和中红外激光级联输出的特性,也引起越来越多的关注。本文从碱金属原子密度、泵浦光功率、偏振和频率失调量以及调控激光等几种影响因素出发,综述了双光子吸收碱金属蒸气激光的研究进展,在此基础上分析了影响激光输出特性的原因,最后对双光子吸收碱金属蒸气激光器的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Refractive index enhancement with vanishing absorption in an atomic vapor

We report a proof-of-principle experiment where the refractive index of an atomic vapor is enhanced while maintaining vanishing absorption of the beam. The key idea is to drive alkali atoms in a vapor with appropriate control lasers and induce a gain resonance and an absorption resonance for a probe beam in a two-photon Raman configuration. The strength and the position of these two resonances can be manipulated by changing the parameters of the control lasers. By using the interference between these two resonances, we obtain an enhanced refractive index without an increase in the absorption.     

基于光谱吸收法的碱金属原子配比检测方法研究

碱金属混合物原子配比是超高灵敏惯性测量装置表头的重要参数,需精确测量。针对碱金属配比与碱金属蒸汽密度相关的特点,提出运用光深理论检测碱金属配比。结果表明：受多种因素影响,光深理论得到的碱金属蒸汽密度与饱和蒸汽压经验公式计算的结果相差3个数量级,无法保证碱金属配比的测量精度;改变数据处理方法,建立光谱吸收率与气室内部温度的映射模型,运用光谱吸收率标定碱金属气室内部温度,通过碱金属饱和蒸汽压经验公式计算气室内部碱金属原子的配比,多组数据分析表明：检测误差在10%以内。     

Atomic-based stabilization for laser-pumped atomic clocks

We describe a novel technique for stabilizing frequency shifts in laser-interrogated vapor-cell atomic clocks. The method suppresses frequency shifts due to changes in the laser frequency, intensity, and modulation index as well as atomic vapor density. The clock operating parameters are monitored by using the atoms themselves, rather than by using conventional schemes for laser frequency and cell temperature control. The experiment is realized using a chip-scale atomic clock. The novel atomic-based stabilization approach results in a simpler setup and improved long-term performance.     

Atomic vapor cells for chip-scale atomic clocks with improved long-term frequency stability

A novel technique for microfabricating alkali atom vapor cells is described in which alkali atoms are evaporated into a micromachined cell cavity through a glass nozzle. A cell of interior volume 1 mm3, containing 87Rb and a buffer gas, was made in this way and integrated into an atomic clock based on coherent population trapping. A fractional frequency instability of 6 x 10(-12) at 1000 s of integration was measured. The long-term drift of the F=1, mF=0-->F=2, mF=0 hyperfine frequency of atoms in these cells is below 5 x 10(-11)/day.     

Improvement of the spin polarization lifetime in the 85Rb vapor cell by octadecyltrichlorosilane coating

Effective surface coatings allow for long spin polarization in alkali metal cells, suppressing the magnetic field gradient effect and providing an improvement in atomic magnetometer sensitivity. In this work, the effect of an octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) surface coating on the longitudinal and transverse spin polarization lifetime of an optically pumped ⁸⁵Rb vapor cell has been studied. Our results showed that the spin polarization lifetime significantly increased in the OTS lined cell compared to the unlined cell. The relaxation rate due to alkali metal atoms wall collisions and the magnetic field gradient has been decreased by using an OTS surface coating. A longer spin polarization lifetime in the lined cell causes a narrower magnetic resonance line width and subsequently a more sensitive atomic magnetometer.     

Evolution of Copper Vapor from the Cathode of a Diffuse Vacuum Arc

The metal-vapor evolution from the cathode of a diffuse vacuum arc is described by a model that starts from the expression for the collisionless expansion into vacuum of atoms originating from an instantaneous point source. The velocity distribution is assumed to be Maxwellian at the moment the atoms are released from the source. By convolution with the vapor generation rate, which is given by an effective erosion rate and the waveform of the arc current, this expression is generalized to yield the atomic density at an arbitrary distance from a point source which emits atoms for a finite period. The result is integrated over the cathode surface which is treated as an extended homogeneous source of vapor. The copper-vapor density was calculated for a vacuum arc driven by a sinusoidal 50-Hz current half-cycle of 500 A rms, for the center of the contact gap. With a vapor temperature of 2000 K and an effective copper-vapor erosion rate of 3 ?/C, the model well describes the measured decay of the copper-vapor density from about 5 × 1017 m-3 at 300 ?s before current-zero to 5 × 1014 m-3 at 400 ?s after current-zero. Comparison with calculations based on the assumption that metal vapor is generated predominantly by molten droplets evaporating in flight indicates that before current-zero the contribution of the droplets to the vapor density is negligibly small, while after current-zero both vapor generation mechanisms produce vapor at the same order of magnitude.     

Untersuchungen über die Erzeugung und den Nachweis von Alkaliatomstrahlen im Energiebereich zwischen 6 und 4000 eV

An alkali metal atomic beam source for the 6–4000 eV energy range is described. The fast atomic beam is obtained by the neutralization of an alkali ion beam and is detected by surface ionization on an unheated filament. The processes involved in collisions of fast alkali atoms with a tungsten surface are investigated and the behaviour of the atoms is compared with the behaviour of the corresponding ions.     

Study of the local spin-density functional method for calculating the contact term in atoms

Using various models for the exchange-correlation potential, the spin density of electrons at the nuclei of light atoms (up to Ni) is calculated. The magnitude of the Fermi-contact term is then determined and it is compared with the unrestricted Hartree-Fock calculations and with the available experimental results. It appears that for the alkali metal ions most of the local spin density models give results which are in good agreement with experiment. On the other hand, for atoms, where the existence of contact term is connected with the polarization of the core s-electrons, none of the models yield satisfactory results.The author is indebted to Dr. L.Farkas for valuable discussion concerning the self-consistent-field atomic program.     

NaK分子激发态的预离解和碰撞激发转移

用Ar+激光器固定频率488.0nm线激发Na-K混合蒸汽,NaK分子激发态通过自发辐射、预离解和与基态原子的碰撞激发转移而去布居,测量在不同K原子密度下原子荧光对分子荧光的强度比,结合NaK(E)态寿命,得到了预离解率和碰撞激发转移率.     

光谱特性对半导体泵浦碱蒸气激光器性能的影响

以速率方程模型为基础研究了光谱特性对半导体泵浦碱蒸气激光器性能的影响。结果表明:碱蒸气激光器的运行存在最优温度,温度和长度对碱蒸气激光器性能的影响是等价的,可以定义一个与温度和长度无关的效率描述其它参量一定时激光器的最优效率;泵浦谱宽对阈值泵浦强度的影响是线性的,由于碱金属原子在谱线远翼具有较大吸收截面,即使泵浦谱宽几倍或十几倍于原子吸收谱宽时也可能获得较高的效率;原子吸收谱宽对阈值泵浦强度的影响是非线性的,随着原子吸收谱宽的增加激光器光-光效率出现饱和下降;泵浦谱宽和原子吸收谱宽越宽,半导体激光器由于温度或电流导致的中心波长漂移的影响越小,实际中采用外腔压窄的半导体激光器阵列(谱宽小于200 GHz)可以控制其温度或电流漂移,使得碱蒸气激光器的性能基本不受影响。