Femtosecond laser pulse train effect on Doppler profile of cesium resonance lines

We present direct observation of the velocity-selective optical pumping of the Cs ground state hyperfine levels induced by the femtosecond (fs) laser oscillator centered at either D2 (6 ²S_1/2↦6 ²P_3/2, 852 nm) or D1 (6 P_1/2, 894 nm) cesium line. We utilized previously developed modified direct frequency comb spectroscopy (DFCS) which uses a fixed frequency comb for the excitation and a weak cw scanning probe laser centered at the ¹³³Cs 6 ²S_1/2↦6 ²P_3/2 transition (D2 line) for ground levels population monitoring. The frequency comb excitation changes the usual Doppler absorption profile into a specific periodic, comblike structure. The mechanism of the velocity selective population transfer between the Cs ground state hyperfine levels induced by fs pulse train excitation is verified in a theoretical treatment of the multilevel atomic system subjected to a pulse train resonant field interaction.     

Spin physics in solid helium: Experimental results and applications

We have observed optical pumping signals from Cs atoms trapped in solid⁴He. While the longitudinal electronic spin relaxation timeT ₁ is found to be in the range of 1–2 s, the transverse relaxation timeT ₂, as inferred from magnetic resonance linewidths has a lower bound of 150 s, and is determined by magnetic field inhomogeneities. We present a quantitative discussion of how paramagnetic species trapped in solid He might be used in a highly sensitive search for permanent atomic electric dipole moments.     

Optimizing the production of metastable calcium atoms in a magneto-optical trap

We investigate the production of long-lived metastable (4³ P ₂ ) calcium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) operating on the 4¹ S ₀ ?4¹ P ₁ transition at 423 nm. For excited 4¹ P ₁ atoms a weak decay channel into the triplet states 4³ P ₂ and 4³ P ₁ exists via the 3¹ D ₂ state. The undesired 4³ P ₁ atoms decay back to the ground state within 0.4 ms and can be fully recaptured if the illuminated trap volume is sufficientlylarge. We obtain a flux of above 10¹⁰ atoms/s into the 4³ P ₂ state. We find that our MOT lifetime of 23 ms is mainly limited by this loss channel, and thus the 4³ P ₂ production is not hampered by inelastic collisions. If we close the loss channel by repumping the 3¹ D ₂ atoms with a 671 nm laser back into the MOT cycling transition, a non-exponential 72 ms trap decay is observed, indicating the presence of inelastic two-body collisions between 4¹ S ₀ and 4¹ P ₁ atoms. Received: 10 July 2001 / Revised version: 22 October 2001 / Published online: 23 November 2001     

Resonant coupling in the van der Waals interaction between an excited alkali atom and a dielectric surface: an experimental study via stepwise selective reflection spectroscopy

We present a detailed experimental study of the evaluation of the van der Waals (vW) atom-surface interaction for high-lying excited states of alkali-metal atoms (Cs and Rb), notably when they couple resonantly with a surface-polariton mode of the neighbouring dielectric surface. This report extends our initial observation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 5467 (1999)] of a vW repulsion between Cs(6D_3/2) and a sapphire surface. The experiment is based upon FM selective reflection spectroscopy, on a transition reaching a high-lying state from a resonance level, that has been thermally pumped by an initial one-photon step. Along with a strong vW repulsion fitted with a blue lineshift, -160±25 kHz μm³ for Cs(6D_3/2) in front of a sapphire surface (with a perpendicular c-axis), we demonstrate a weaker vW repulsion (-32±5 kHz μm³) for Cs(6D_3/2) in front of a YAG surface, as due to a similar resonant coupling at 12 μm between a virtual atomic emission (6D_3/2-7P_1/2) and the surface polariton modes. A resonant behaviour of Rb(6D_5/2) in front of a sapphire surface exists also because of analogous decay channels in the 12 μm range. Finally, one demonstrates that fused silica, nonresonant for a virtual transition in the 12 μm range and hence weakly attracting for Cs(6D_3/2), exhibits a resonant behaviour for Cs(9S_1/2) as due to its surface polariton resonance in the 8-9 μm range. The limiting factors that affect both the accuracy of the theoretical prediction, and that of the fitting method applied to the experimental data, are discussed in the conclusion. Received 16 January 2003 / Received in final form 25 March 2003 Published online 5 May 2003     

An atomic linear Stark shift violating P but not T arising from the electroweak nuclear anapole moment

We propose a direct method of detection of the nuclear anapole moment. It is based on the existence of a linear Stark shift for alkali atoms in their ground state perturbed by a quadrupolar interaction of uniaxial symmetry around a direction and a magnetic field. This shift is characterized by the T-even pseudoscalar ( ^. )(∧ ^. )/B ². It involves on the one hand the anisotropy of the hyperfine interaction induced by the quadrupolar interaction and, on the other, the static electric dipole moment arising from electroweak interactions inside the nucleus. The case of ground state Cs atoms trapped in a uniaxial (hcp) phase of solid ⁴He is examined. From an explicit evaluation of both the hyperfine structure anisotropy and the static dipole deduced from recent empirical data about the Cs nuclear anapole moment, we predict the Stark shift. It is three times the experimental upper bound to be set on the T-odd Stark shift of free Cs atoms in order to improve the present limit on the electron EDM. Received 20 December 2000     

Observation of the spin polarization of Cs atoms during optical orientation of metastable helium atoms in alkali-helium plasma

We are the first to experimentally observe a magnetic-resonance signal of 6² S _1/2 Cs atoms by absorption of light from a helium lamp that was used to optically orient metastable 2³ S ₁ He atoms. The amplitude of the cesium signal proved to be almost three orders of magnitude lower than the amplitude of the magnetic resonance of 2³ S ₁ He atoms. Particular features of the creation and observation of the collisional polarization of cesium under conditions of alkali-helium plasma have been discussed.     

Lifetime of metastable fluorine atoms

For laser collimation of neutral F atoms, a resonance transition cycle between the metastable and the upper excited states (3s⁴ P _5/2?3p⁴ D ⁰ _7/2) can be used as a two-level closed system. We have determined the lifetime of the metastable state (3s⁴ P _5/2) in F atoms by measuring the decay curve of the fluorescence intensity as a function of distance from the plasma source. Combining the measured velocity of F radicals from the Doppler shift of the fluorescence peak, we have obtained the lifetime of the F metastable state as 3.7±0.5 μs. With this short metastable lifetime of F radicals, the simple Doppler cooling method using spontaneous light force is not practical for laser collimation of F radicals. Use of stimulated light force may be necessary to collimate F radical beams in a short distance. Received: 4 July 2000 / Published online: 13 September 2000     

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.     

Growth of he bubbles in al during annealing

Abstract

The temperature dependent growth of He bubbles in Al films implanted at room temperature to various He concentrations is investigated by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). EELS reveals even the weakest changes in He density within the bubbles by measuring the pressure shift of the He 1¹S₀?2¹P₁ transition. This is applied to investigate the mechanisms driving the growth of bubbles in the temperature range 20°C ? T ? 500°C. For T?200°C indication is found that bubbles relax by emission of interstitial dislocation loops. At higher temperatures bubble migration and coalescence under absorption of thermal vacancies is evident. The final state is characterized by large cavities filled with He at low pressure as evidenced by the detection of the atomic He series.     

Pressure dependence of the Mg transition in superfluid He

The pressure shifts of the 3s4s³S P_0,1,2 transition of magnesium atoms immersed in superfluid helium have been measured at K between saturated vapour pressure and 24 bar. The wavelength is blue shifted linearly by . This value can be satisfactorily described in the framework of the standard bubble model. Received 18 February 2000     

Duree de vie et facteur de lande du niveau (5s5p2)4P12 de L'ion etain Sn+

Oriented Sn⁺ ions in the (5s5p²)⁴P_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} level are produced by Penning collisions between Sn atoms in the ground state and optically oriented He (2³S₁) metastable atoms. If r.f. transitions are induced in the 2³S₁ He level, the circularly polarized light emitted by the ions in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field is modulated at the r.f. frequency; the variation of the degree of modulation with the r.f. frequency allows a determination of the lifetime τ' of the ion level. The lifetime and the Landé g-factor of the Sn⁺ (⁴P_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}) level are also measured by direct magnetic resonance. The line shape is also computed when the resonances of the He atom and of the Sn⁺ ion overlap; the experimental signals are in good agreement with this computation.     

Trapping radioactive atoms for basic and applied research

We report on the trapping of radioactive atoms for a variety of nuclear, atomic, and applied physics investigations. To date we have trapped 5 different radioisotopes of rubidium and cesium (^82–84Rb+^135,137Cs) using a magneto-optical trap (MOT) coupled to a mass separator. By optimizing the efficiency of this system, we have been able to trap as many as 6 million radioactive atoms and detect as few as 100. This technology is being applied in three different areas: (1) the parity-violating, β-decay asymmetry measurement of polarized ⁸²Rb; (2) the study of ultracold fermionic ⁸⁴Rb atoms; and (3) the use of MOTs for the ultrasensitive detection of selected radioactive species. Although all of these projects are in a formative stage of development, we highlight the progress that we have made in: (1) the trapping of ⁸²Rb atoms in double MOT system; (2) the hyperfine structure measurement of the 5P_1/2 and 5P_3/2 levels in ⁸²Rb; (3) the simultaneous trapping of ⁸⁴Rb and ⁸⁷Rb in overlapping MOTs; and (4) the first trapping and isotopic ratio measurement of ¹³⁵Cs and ¹³⁷Cs in a MOT. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The binding of alkali atoms to the surfaces of liquid helium and hydrogen

Alkali atoms have been shown previously to have only unstable binding states inside liquid⁴He. We calculate the equilibrium configurations and binding energies of single alkali atoms near the liquid-vapor interface of⁴He and³He. A simple interface model is used to predict the surface deformation due to the presence of the atoms. A more realistic density functional model yields somewhat higher energies in the case of⁴He. For all alkali atoms, we find the surface binding energies to be around 10 to 20 K. A similar analysis with atom-H₂ interactions finds that alkali atoms tend to submerge into liquid H₂, with the exception of Li.     

High pressure optical study of KTbP2Se6

We have observed a pressure induced phase transition in KTbP₂Se₆ at about 9.2 GPa which was accompanied by a discontinuous jump of the absorption edge of about 0.5 eV into the red. We have proposed that the high pressure phase is due to charge transfer from the selenium to the phosphorous accompanied by the formation of a Se-Se bond. In order to exclude a model which involves a 4f-5d charge transfer in Tb, leading to the intervalence charge transfer from Tb³⁺P⁴⁺-Tb⁴⁺P³⁺,we have measured the pressure dependence of the luminescence of the crystal field split levels of the Tb-ion. A comparison of the pressure dependence of the luminescence spectra of KTb(MoO₄)₂ and KTbP₂Se₆ shows that such a charge transfer does not occur in KTbP₂Se₆.     

Orientation of Cs 6p 2P3/2 atomic photofragments in a magnetic field: interference in the photodissociation of diatomic molecules

In a magnetic field, Cs₂ molecules were excited from the ground X¹Σ⁺_g(v_X=0,J_X=55) level to the D ¹Σ⁺_u(v=46,J=54) level by dissociation laser light linearly polarized parallel to the field, for which the magnetic sublevels were degenerated and thus all the transitions between them were simultaneously stimulated. Probe laser light excited the dissociated Cs 6p²P_3/2 atomic fragments to 6p²D_3/2 level and the resultant 6p²P_1/2 - 6d²D_3/2 emission was detected as the function of the wavelength of the probe light. The populations of the 6p²P_3/2,mj magnetic sublevels were determined from the relative strengths of the 6p²P_3/2,mj - 6d²D_3/2,m'j transitions induced by the probe light. Non-zero orientation O₀ was found in the ensemble of dissociated Cs 6p²P_3/2 atomic fragments. The orientation O₀ increased as the magnetic field strength increased. It was demonstrated both experimentally and theoretically that the orientation O₀ was induced through the interference in the excitation and dissociation paths in the presence of an external magnetic field, even when all degenerated transitions between the magnetic sublevels of the molecules are simultaneously excited by the light linearly polarized parallel to the field.     

Implantation and spectroscopy of metal atoms in solid helium

The first implantation of neutral Ba and Cs atoms into solid⁴He is reported. We discuss details of the experimental setup and techniques used to load the helium with atoms at concentrations of 10⁸ cm^–3. If photodissociation of Cs molecules and clusters is performed twice per hour this atomic concentration can be kept without a second implantation for almost a day. From the optical spectra of Ba in solid helium we infer no significant difference in the trapping site with respect to that in liquid helium.     

XAFS和XRD研究高能球磨对Fe70Cu30合金结构的影响

利用XRD和XAFS方法研究机械合金化Fe₇₀Cu₃₀二元金属合金随球磨时间的结构变化.XRD结果表明，球磨2 h后，部分金属Fe与Cu生成Fe-Cu合金；球磨20h后，金属Fe与Cu已完全合金化生成Fe-Cu合金，并只在2θ=44°处出现一个宽化的弱衍射峰，认为是在球磨20h后的Fe₇₀Cu₃₀合金中共存着fcc和bcc结构的Fe-Cu合金相.XAFS结果进一步表明，在球磨的初始阶段(2h)，fcc结构的Cu颗粒的晶 关键词： XAFS XRD 70Cu₃₀合金')" href="#">Fe₇₀Cu₃₀合金 机械合金化     

Excitation of vacuum UV transitions of alkali-metal atoms by charge-exchange reactions

We investigate the vacuum UV radiation spectra of atoms and ions of Rb, Cs, He, Ne, and Ar in a discharge plasma of their mixtures at different concentration of metal vapors in rare gases. The reactions leading to population and deactivation of resonant states of rare-gas atoms were studied. The observation of lines 109.1, 119.6, and 124.7 nm, corresponding to the radiation transitions from the 5p ⁵5d6s ⁴ P _5/2 quasi-metastable autoionizing level of cesium, allowed us to estimate experimentally the cross section σ=(9±3) · 10^?15 cm² of the charge-exchange reaction of the metastable cesium ion on the cesium atom, giving as a result the above-mentioned quasi-metastable state of cesium.     

Impact broadening and shift rates for the 6p2 3PJ′ → 7s 3P J o transitions of lead induced by collisions with argon and helium

The collisional broadening and shift rate coefficients of the 283.39 nm (6p ^{2 3}P₀ → 7s ³P₁ ^o ), 364.06 nm (6p ^{2 3}P₁ → 7s ³P₁ ^o ), 368.45 nm (6p ^{2 3}P₁ → 7s ³P₀ ^o ) and 405.90 nm (6p ^{2 3}P₂ → 7s ³P₁ ^o ) Pb lines by He and Ar have been measured by fitting the experimental absorption line shapes to theoretical Voigt profiles. The absorption measurements were performed in a resistively heated, Pb loaded oven with an integrated dc noble gas discharge to produce also Pb atoms in the 6p ^{2 3}P¹ and 6p ^{2 3}P² metastable states. The diffusion of the metastable atoms out of the discharge zone into the neutral noble-gas atmosphere enabled the line-shape and shift measurement of the lines involving the metastable states without the influence of the discharge plasma.     

Spectral dependence of polarization of cesium atoms during pumping by a narrowband semiconductor laser

It is found in an experiment with narrowband laser pumping of Cs atoms by light of the D ₂-line that the spectral dependence of the polarization of atoms significantly differs from the spectral dependence of the light absorption by nonpolarized atoms. The difference lies in a partial resolution of the hyperfine structure of the excited 6² P _3/2 state, which remains unresolved in the case of nonpolarized atoms. The shape of the spectral dependence of the atom polarization observed upon pumping with circularly polarized light differs from that in the case of the linear polarized pumping and depends strongly on the buffer gas pressure, which allows one to obtain experimental information on collisional relaxation in the excited state. Calculation for a cell with antirelaxation coating and a cell with helium (6-Torr pressure) gives spectral dependences that are qualitatively consistent with experiment.