Calculation of the 1s–2s two-photon excitation cross-section in atomic hydrogen

The two-photon excitation cross-section of atomic hydrogen is calculated using explicit summation over intermediate states within the framework of dipole approximation. The matrix element for two-photon excitation is transformed into finite sums, consisting of the product of a radial and angular part. Nine intermediate states are employed in the calculation of the transition matrix element. The two-photon excitation cross-section obtained for the transition 1s ²S_1/2–2s ²S_1/2in atomic hydrogen is a good agreement with the literature.     

Synthesis and Characterization of New Fluorene-Based Singlet Oxygen Sensitizers

The synthesis, photophysical characterization, and determination of singlet oxygen quantum yields (Φ_Δ) for a class of fluorene derivatives with potential application in two-photon photodynamic therapy (PDT) is reported. It has been demonstrated that these compounds possess the ability to generate singlet oxygen (¹O₂) upon excitation. A photochemical method, using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as ¹O₂ chemical quencher, was employed to determine the singlet oxygen quantum yields (Φ_Δ) of the fluorene-based photosensitizers in ethanol. Φ_Δ values ranged from 0.35 to 0.75. These derivatives may have potential application as two-photon photosensitizers when pumped via two-photon excitation in the near-IR spectral region.     

Two-photon exchange in p⊆)p→ℓ+ℓ−X and a comparison with QCD

A thorough study of lepton-pair production from two-photon annihilation in p?)p collisions is presented. The differential cross section is calculated over a large range of energies (27?√s?800 GeV as a function of the dilepton mass M as well as the dilepton transverse momentum Q_T and the Feynman variable x_F. No kinematical approximations (such as the equivalent photon approximation) are made. For Q_T ≈ 0 the two-photon mechanism represents an important fraction of the pp→e⁺e^?X cross section already at ISR energies, whereas at ISABELLE energies it dramatically dominates in the interval 0?Q_T?1 GeV. At ISR energies these conclusions follow from a direct comparison of the two-photon contribution with pp→e⁺e^?X data. For the ISABELLE energy range the expected O(α_s) QCD contribution to pp→?⁺?^?X, corrected for soft gluon radiation to all orders (in leading bilogarithmic approximation), was taken as a reference. At larger Q_T and ISR energies the γγ contribution is negligible, whereas at √s = 800 GeV γγ/QCD? 10–20% almost everywhere. Furthermore, two-photon candidate events from the ISR are shown to be in reasonable agreement with theory. A decomposition of the γγ cross section into contributions from both proton vertices being elastic, inelastic and of mixed configuration is given. The results provide important clues for a future isolation of the two-photon mechanism.     

One- and two-photon laser optogalvanic spectroscopy of neon in the 570-626 nm region

Eleven two-photon transitions originating from the 2p⁵3s[3/2]₂, 2p⁵3s′[1/2]_o, 2p⁵3s[3/2]₁, and 2p⁵3s′[1/2]₁ states to the 2p⁵4d configuration states have been investigated in the optogalvanic spectrum of neon in the visible region (570-626 nm) for the first time. The two-photon assignments are confirmed by evaluating the temporal evolution, power dependency, and line widths of the optogalvanic signals. The time evolution of the optogalvanic signals for the two-photon transition originating from the metastable 2p⁵3s[3/2]₂ state to the 2p⁵4d′[3/2]₂ state has also been studied at different discharge currents.     

Exciton molecule in semiconductors by phonon-assisted two-photon absorption

Direct creation of bi-excitonic states by photon-assisted two-photon absorption in indirect-gap semiconductors is investigated theoretically. The symmetry of the indirect bi-exciton states and of the phonon used are given for the case of Ge. A numerical application to the case of Si shows that the indirect two-photon absorption coefficient for bi-excitonic α²_I (bi-ex) transitions is several orders of magnitude larger than both indirect two-photon interband, α²_I (band), and excitonic, α²_I (exc), transitions. It becomes smaller than both indirect one-photon interband, α¹_I (band), and excitonic, α¹_I (exc), transitions for available laser intensities. The essential contribution to this enhancement of α²_I (bi-ex) is found to be from the resonance effect in the first process and from both the resonance effect and matrix elements included in the second process.     

Infrared-microwave two-photon spectra of the ν3 bands of 12CH3F and 13CH3F

Infrared-microwave two-photon spectra have been obtained for the ν₃ bands of ¹²CH₃F and ¹³CH₃F with a two-photon spectrometer employing a CO₂ laser and a computer-coupled microwave source operating in the 8–18 GHz region. Even though the intensities of the spectra for the double parity levels in these molecules are inversely proportional to the square of the microwave frequency, transitions have been observed with microwave frequencies of up to 16 GHz. Comparison of these observed two-photon frequencies to frequencies predicted from infrared laser Stark spectroscopy, and to frequencies calculated from vibration-rotation parameters obtained by fitting these and other frequencies, shows agreement to within a few MHz. Spectroscopic parameters for the ground and ν₃ excited states of the two species are reported.     

Study of inclusive strange-baryon production and search for pentaquarks in two-photon collisions at LEP

Measurements of inclusive production of the Λ, Ξ^- and Ξ^*(1530) baryons in two-photon collisions with the L3 detector at LEP are presented. The inclusive differential cross sections for Λ and Ξ^- are measured as a function of the baryon transverse momentum, p_t, and pseudo-rapidity, η. The mean number of Λ, Ξ^- and Ξ^*(1530) baryons per hadronic two-photon event is determined in the kinematic range 0.4 GeV<p_t<2.5 GeV, |η|<1.2. Overall agreement with the theoretical models and Monte Carlo predictions is observed. A search for inclusive production of the pentaquark θ⁺(1540) in two-photon collisions through the decay θ⁺→pK⁰ _S is also presented. No evidence for production of this state is found.     

A study of double tagged two-photon reactions at spear

We have identified 262 doubly tagged two-photon events. A subset of the data shows an enhancement of 21 events in the inclusive two-photon mass squared distribution between 0.8 and 2.2 GeV². If these events result from spin 2 resonance production then Γ_γγ = 9.5 ± 3.9 ± 2.4 keV (statistical and systematic). From another subset of 58 events in which the final state could be classified we determine the two-photon hadron to muon cross section ratio R_γγ = 1.1 ± 0.3 ± 0.3.     

500-Hz two-photon Ramsey fringes with a SF6 beam: towards a new frequency standard in the 30-THz spectral region

A two-photon Ramsey-fringe experiment with a supersonic beam of SF₆ has been performed with an interzone distance of up to 50 cm. Using a He-seeded beam with 50% of SF₆, the two-photon transition P(4)E⁰ in the 2ν₃ band reveals its magnetic hyperfine structure and the periodicity of the fringes is 500 Hz. The strength of the central fringe of the main hyperfine component corresponds to a flux of 10¹⁰–10¹¹useful molecules/s, which is very promising for a new frequency standard in the 30-THz spectral region. Received: 27 April 2001 / Revised version: 18 June 2001 / Published online: 18 July 2001     

New cw two-photon pumped and Raman fir laser lines in 14NH3 and 15NH3

Application of infrared-microwave two-photon pumping on ¹⁴NH₃ and ¹⁵NH₃ yields 17 new cw laser lines in the far infrared. In addition a new Raman laser line in ¹⁵NH₃ is found.     

Picosecond Z-scan study of bound electronic Kerr effect in LiNbO3 crystal associated with two-photon absorption

3 crystal have been measured using Z-scan technique with picosecond pulses at 532 nm. The nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index are determined to be 2.5×10^-10 cm/W and 5.3×10^-15 cm²/W, respectively. Both sign and magnitude of the measured refractive nonlinearity are considerably different from the reported Z-scan results in LiNbO₃ obtained with cw laser beam at 514 nm. The nonlinearities in LiNbO₃ induced by 532 nm picosecond pulses are believed to be mainly due to two-photon absorption and bound electronic Kerr effect associated with the two-photon absorption. Received: 4 July 1996     

Precision two-photon spectroscopy of alkali elements

In this paper, we have briefly reviewed the work on two-photon spectroscopy of alkali elements and its applications. The technique of Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy is briefly summarized. A review of various techniques adopted for measuring absolute frequencies of the atomic transitions and precision measurements of isotope shifts and hyperfine structures (HFS) is presented. Some of the recent works on precision measurements of HFS constants of 6s ² S _1/2 level of ³⁹K and ⁴¹K, 9s ² S _1/2level and 7d ² D _3/2 level of ¹³³Cs are also discussed.     

Two-photon cross-section measurement of meso-tetra-hydroxyphenyl-chlorin using femtosecond laser pulses

Experiments were carried out using the femtosecond laser to compare the fluorescence amplitude produced by two-photon excitation at 800 nm and 400 nm (i.e. to the strong absorption band in mTHPC). Using an experimental arrangement where the fluorescence sampling geometry was kept unchanged between the two exposure wavelengths a value for the two-photon cross-section of mTHPC at 800 nm of ?1.8 × 10^?57 m⁴ s/molecule/photon was derived. This is larger than the value estimated using a simple theoretical model, probably because the calculation neglects ??resonant?? assistance provided by the real state at ??650 nm (S ₀). In terms of order of magnitude the values are in agreement with the two-photon cross-section for other organic species.     

Polarization dependence of luminescence induced by two-photon excitation in LiF crystals with F 3 + laser color centers and the symmetry of the excited state

The energy level structure of F ₃ ⁺ laser color centers in crystals of LiF is discussed. A high-power laser (λ _ex=920 nm) is used to excite luminescence from LiF crystals with F ₃ ⁺ centers via two-photon absorption, and the dependence of the polarization and intensity of this luminescence on the polarization of the laser light is measured and calculated. It is shown that the two-photon transition involves the excitation of a previously unknown state of the F ₃ ⁺ center—a spin singlet whose wave function has ¹ A ₁ symmetry. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1373–1379 (August 1996)     

Two-photon spectroscopy of 15NH3 with isotopic CO2 lasers and double resonance studies with a new coincidence

Eleven transitions of the ν₂ band of ¹⁵NH₃ were measured by the technique of infrared-microwave two-photon spectroscopy using an isotopic CO₂ laser and 20-mW microwave power. By combining these results with those of previous two-photon measurements and with Stark laser spectroscopy results, the spectroscopic constants of this band were calculated. Using the previously unknown coincidence between the R(18) ¹³CO₂ laser line and the _asQ(5,4) infrared transition, velocity tuned multiple-photon Lamb-dip signals were observed. Very intense double resonance signals were observed on the (5,4), (6,4), and (4,4) microwave transitions and the magnitude of these effects was compared to those observed previously in ¹⁴NH₃.     

Singlet Oxygen Quantum Yield Determination for a Fluorene-Based Two-Photon Photosensitizer

The quantum yield, Φ_Δ, of singlet oxygen generation under two-photon excitation has been determined for a fluorene derivative. A photochemical method was developed using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF), a chemical quencher of ¹O₂, and 2-(9,9-didecyl-7-nitrofluoren-2-yl)benzothiazole (1) as a two-photon photosensitizer (PS). The photochemical kinetics of the quencher was measured by two different fluorescence methods. Fluorene 1 exhibited relatively high singlet oxygen quantum yield, Φ_Δ ≈ 0.4 ± 0.1, and had a two-photon absorption cross-section of 28 ± 5 GM. Thus, 1 may have potential for use as a two-photon PS in the near-IR spectral region for biomedical applications.     

Laser induced two-photon decay in Pr3+:LaAlO3

A laser induced two-photon decay has been observed between the ³P₀ and ³F₂ levels of trivalent praseodymium in LaAlO₃. The differential transition cross section was found to be dσ/dΩ = 1.1 × 10^-27 cm².     

Selection rules for direct creation of biexcitons by giant two-photon absorption

The selection rules for direct creation of biexcitons by two-photon absorption processes are discussed on symmetry basis. A detailed analysis is performed for CuCl and CdS crystals, with the energy levels given by Bassani et al. It is found that only Г^biex₁ states can be created by giant two-photon absorption when the photons have the same frequency. The polarization dependence is given for the other cases.     

The controlled excitation of forbidden transitions in the two-photon spectrum of strontium by using collisions and electric fields

We present experimental results involving controlled configuration mixing in two-photon spectroscopy of highly-excited states by exploiting a weak external electric field and collisions. The method has allowed new extensions to high members of the two-photon forbidden J = 3 odd-parity 5snf ¹F₃ and the J = 0, even-parity 5sns ¹S₀ Rydberg series of neutral strontium to be observed. We achieve resonant two-photon transverse excitation of a high density atomic jet by using a narrow bandwidth tunable dye laser in a heat pipe setup with sensitive ionization detection. Experimental term values are extended for the 5sns ¹S₀ series up to n = 46. By suitable exploitation of the composition and pressure of the buffer gases in conjunction with the electric field strength in the excitation region and the exciting laser beam intensity we have also extended observations up to n = 44 for the 5snf ¹F₃ series and up to n = 46 for the 5snp ¹P₁ series. Our results demonstrate a novel and remarkably simple experimental method to access high Rydberg states to which transitions are forbidden from the ground state by parity and other selection rules.     

Polarization selection rules for the allowed optical transitions in europium-terbium double activated calcium tungstate phosphor

The paper is devoted to the problem of the optical anisotropy of the rare-earth ions occupying low-symmetry positions in crystals. The crystal field multiplets arising from LSJ terms of Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions in the crystal field of calcium tungstate scheelite (CaWO₄) are analyzed (S₄ point symmetry). The selection rules, in particular, polarization rules for the allowed electric dipole optical transitions in the electronic shells of the Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ in CaWO₄ host lattice are discussed. Special attention is paid to the study of the angular (polarization) dependence of the two-photon absorption that seems to be an effective tool for the understanding of the complicated optical pattern. The peculiarities of the anisotropy of the two-photon absorption prove to be specific for each allowed dipole transition in S₄ symmetry center.