Velocity dependence of impact line-broadening studied by resonant doppler-free two-photon laser spectroscopy

The velocity dependence of the collison broadening of the⁴⁰Ca 4s ^{2 1} S ₀→4s5p ¹ P ₁ →4s17d ¹ D ₂ transition by neon atoms has been studied. The experiment was performed exciting one velocity group of Ca atoms within the Doppler profile of the first transition and probing this group with a counterpropagating laser beam inducing the second transition. Using thermionic detection we have measured broadening rates for relative velocities between Ca and Ne atoms which corresponds to a temperature range of about 850 K (cell temperature) to 3000 K. The measured line-width was found to have very weak temperature dependence. This is attributed to the weak velocity dependence of polarization broadening of the final level which was found to be the major contribution to the broadening of the two-photon line. For large relative velocities significant asymmetries in the measured line profiles due to velocity changing collisions had to be taken into account.