Velocity preserving transfer between highly excited atomic states: black body radiation and collisions. (17th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Aquino Carvalho, J C; Maurin, I; Failache, H; Bloch, D; Laliotis, A
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 54:Number 3(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-02-17
• Subjects: atomic collisions -- black body radiation -- vapour cells -- atomic physics -- laser spectroscopy; Atoms -- Periodicals; Molecules -- Periodicals; Optics -- Periodicals; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; 539.6
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6455/abd532
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-4075

Abstract

Abstract: We study the excitation redistribution from cesium 7P1/2 or 7P3/2 to neighboring energy levels by black body radiation (BBR) and inter atomic collisions using pump-probe spectroscopy inside a vapor cell. At low vapor densities we measure redistribution of the initial, velocity-selected, atomic excitation by BBR. This redistribution preserves the selected atomic velocities allowing us to perform high resolution spectroscopy of the 6D → 7F transitions. This transfer mechanism could also be used to perform sub-Doppler spectroscopy of the cesium highly-excited nG levels. At high densities we observe interatomic collisions redistributing the excitation within the cesium 7P fine and hyperfine structure. We show that 7P redistribution involves state-changing collisions that preserve the initial selection of atomic velocities. These redistribution mechanisms can be of importance for experiments probing high lying excited states in dense alkali vapor.