Time-Resolved Measurements of the Adsorption/Desorption of Rb Atoms on Octadecyltrichlorosilane Coated Surfaces

Abstract

We carry out the first time-resolved measurement of Rb atoms desorbing from octadecyltrichlorosilane coated surfaces by polarizing the atoms near the surface using an evanescent wave pump pulse and watching the subsequent intensity change of another evanescent wave probe beam, and find the mean adsorption (dwell) time to be about 400 ns at a cell body temperature of 112 ∘ C. The adsorption energy is found to be 0.19 eV from the surface temperature dependence of the adsorption time. This method can be extended to study the adsorption/desorption process of other alkali atoms on other surfaces of transparent substrates with an ultimate time resolution limited by the flight time of atoms in the evanescent wave which is of the order of nanoseconds.

Optical and magnetic properties of a transparent garnet film for atomic physics experiments

“…Optical spectroscopy using EW is also useful to observe atoms located near the surface. 22,23 A combination of such magnetic and optical techniques at the surface would offer a new tool for use in atomic physics. 24 However, the demonstration of such techniques has been rather limited, partly because magnetic materials that are transparent and, thus, allow optical access are not very common.…”

Zero-field spin-noise spectrum of an alkali vapor with strong spin-exchange coupling

“…We use a fused quartz cell with an inner dimension of 23 mm length and 2 8 8 mm  cross-section. The cell is internally coated with an antirelaxation film of octadecyl-trichlorosilane [54,55] and filled with enriched 87 Rb. It is placed in a ceramic oven wrapped and heated by a nonmagnetic wire passing an AC of 71 kHz.…”

Combined effect of light intensity and temperature on the magnetic resonance linewidth in alkali vapor cell with buffer gas

“…When the alkali atoms encounter the bare glass surface of the cell wall, it can be captured for a little while (10 −5 s-10 −7 s) and be completely depolarized by the ions and molecules within the glass. [24] Paraffin, [25] OTS (octadecyltrichlorosilane), [26][27][28] and alkene [7,29] are all proved to be able to reduce the relaxation rate due to cell wall.…”