Polarization spectroscopy of a closed atomic transition: applications to laser frequency locking

Pearman, C P; Adams, Charles S.; Cox, Simon G.; Griffin, Paul F.; Smith, David A.; Hughes, Ifan G.

doi:10.1088/0953-4075/35/24/315

Cited by 199 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The rotation in the atomic vapour is temperature, magnetic-field and frequency dependent, therefore the effect can be used as a tunable polarisation switch. In addition, we mention how polarimetry provides a useful spectroscopy tool [21]. The large bandwidth of off-resonant polarimetry could provide a useful technique to probe fast dynamics of Rydberg states in a thermal vapour [22,23] or atomic beam [24] in the high density regime where interactions and hence novel non-linear optical effects are significant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

et al. 2009

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The ability to control the speed and polarisation of light pulses will allow for faster data flow in optical networks of the future. Optical delay and switching have been achieved using slow-light techniques in various media, including atomic vapour. Most of these vapour schemes utilise resonant narrowband techniques for optical switching, but suffer the drawback of having a limited frequency range or high loss. In contrast, the Faraday effect in a Doppler-broadened slow-light medium allows polarisation switching over tens of GHz with high transmission. This large frequency range opens up the possibility of switching telecommunication bandwidth pulses and probing of dynamics on a nanosecond timescale. Here we demonstrate the slow-light Faraday effect for light detuned far from resonance. We show that the polarisation dependent group index can split a linearly polarised nanosecond pulse into left and right circularly polarised components. The group index also enhances the spectral sensitivity of the polarisation rotation, and large rotations of up to 15π rad are observed for continuous-wave light. Finally, we demonstrate dynamic broadband pulse switching, by rotating a linearly polarised nanosecond pulse from vertical to horizontal with no distortion and transmission close to unity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By subtracting the two signals we are left with a zero background such that a small change in the amount of light in either linear polarisation can be detected. For an input polarisation e = 1 √ 2 (x +ŷ), the output intensity signals for an initial intensity I 0 = I x0 + I y0 are [21] …”

Section: Balanced Polarimetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

et al. 2009

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“…It has an emission bandwidth of less than 6 MHz. Its frequency can be locked to the Doppler-free cyclic transition of either of the rubidium isotopes [17,18]. ECDL2 uses a laser diode with a nominal emission wavelength of 915 nm [19].…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, the frequency of the preparation photons at 780 nm select the initial hyperfine state of the three-step excitation sequence. We used polarization spectroscopy [17,18] …”

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confidence: 99%

Observation of the5p3/2→6p3/2electric-dipole-forbidden transition in atomic rubidium using optical-optical double-resonance spectroscopy

et al. 2015

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Direct evidence of excitation of the 5p 3/2 → 6p 3/2 electric dipole forbidden transition in atomic rubidium is presented. The experiments were performed in a room temperature rubidium cell with continuous wave extended cavity diode lasers. Optical-optical double resonance spectroscopy with counterpropagating beams allows the detection of the non-dipole transition free of Doppler broadening. The 5p 3/2 state is prepared by excitation with a laser locked to the maximum F cyclic transition of the D2 line, and the forbidden transition is produced by excitation with a 911 nm laser. Production of the forbidden transition is monitored by detection of the 420 nm fluorescence that results from decay of the 6p 3/2 state. Spectra with three narrow lines (≈ 13 MHz FWHM) with the characteristic F − 1, F and F + 1 splitting of the 6p 3/2 hyperfine structure in both rubidium isotopes were obtained. The results are in very good agreement with a direct calculation that takes into account the 5s → 5p 3/2 preparation dynamics, the 5p 3/2 → 6p 3/2 non-dipole excitation geometry and the 6p 3/2 → 5s 1/2 decay. The comparison also shows that the electric dipole forbidden transition is a very sensitive probe of the preparation dynamics.PACS numbers: 32.70. Cs,32.70.Fw While the electric dipole approximation is a cornerstone in the study of the interaction between optical radiation fields and atoms, transitions induced by optical fields beyond this approximation have also become important tools in basic and applied studies of atoms. These so called "forbidden transitions" have been traditionally used in astrophysical and plasma studies [1]. They now play a fundamental role in metrology [2] and have also been used in experiments testing parity nonconserving interactions in atoms [3].In early studies of forbidden transitions, Sayer et al. [4] determined transition probabilities of electric quadrupole (E2) transitions using a tungsten lamp. The first direct observation of electric quadrupole effects in multiphoton ionization dates back to the work of Lambropoulos et al.[5]. Electric-dipole-forbidden transitions were exploited in three-wave-mixing experiments for optical sum and difference frequency generation in [6].The use of intense continuous-wave or pulsed laser sources has facilitated the observation of weak absorption lines. For instance, Tojo et al.[7] reported a determination of the oscillator strength of a E2 transition with a temperature-controlled cell and an extended cavity diode laser. Also, the study of strongly forbidden J = 0 → J = 0 transitions via single-photon excitation is presented in [8]. Excitation of forbidden transitions involving states with nonzero angular momentum in alkali atoms have also been studied over the last few years [9][10][11][12][13]. The coherent mixing of waves is theoretically studied in [9] for n 1 2 P − n 2 2 P transitions. The excitation of the 5p → 8p forbidden transition in thermal rubidium atoms was produced with a pulsed laser in [10] and using cold atoms in [12]. The experiment with co...

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“…To ensure frequency stability, the diode laser is locked at the atomic resonance transition, by modulating the laser frequency, such as frequency modulation spectra [7] and modulation transfer spectra [8,9]. Alternatively, modulation-free spectra, including DAVLL spectra [10,11], sub-Doppler DAVLL spectra [12] and polarization spectra [13][14][15], were developed in several decades.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%