Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Symbols and abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Two-level atoms
- 3 Three-level effects
- 4 Internal degrees of freedom
- 5 Optical pumping
- 6 Optically anisotropic vapours
- 7 Coherent Raman processes
- 8 Sublevel dynamics
- 9 Two-dimensional spectroscopy
- 10 Nonlinear dynamics
- 11 Mechanical effects of light
- References
- Index
8 - Sublevel dynamics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Symbols and abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Two-level atoms
- 3 Three-level effects
- 4 Internal degrees of freedom
- 5 Optical pumping
- 6 Optically anisotropic vapours
- 7 Coherent Raman processes
- 8 Sublevel dynamics
- 9 Two-dimensional spectroscopy
- 10 Nonlinear dynamics
- 11 Mechanical effects of light
- References
- Index
Summary
After the discussion of ionic solids we shift our attention to atomic vapours. Here, we discuss the dynamics of microscopic order within the angular momentum substates under the influence of light and magnetic fields. For this purpose, we combine optical pumping as outlined in Chapter 5 to prepare the ordered states, and polarisation-selective detection introduced in Chapter 6 for its observation. In contrast to the introductory sections, we no longer discuss these dynamics as mathematical models, but for specific physical systems, using experimental data to illustrate the theoretical description. The systems we use for this illustration are vapours of alkali metal atoms, in particular sodium. These one-electron systems allow the most direct application of the theoretical models developed above. In addition, we concentrate on electronic ground states, whose long lifetimes permit long observation times and correspondingly precise observations.
Experimental arrangement
General considerations
Laser-induced dynamics
This chapter surveys the coherent evolution of coherences between angular momentum sublevels. Optical pumping excites this microscopic order, and it evolves under the influence of external magnetic fields and the laser radiation. The primary goal of this section is to show how the mathematical models developed in the preceding sections apply to real physical systems. We discuss how the observed signals arise and by which parameters the experimenter can control the dynamics of these systems.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Physics of Laser-Atom Interactions , pp. 280 - 313Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997