Pumping efficiency in an optically pumped rubidium beam with sigma plus pi linearly polarized counterpropagating lasers

摘要

We investigate the population differences between ground-state hyperfine levels (5S(1/2),F=2 and 5S(1/2), F=1) of an optically pumped Rb-87 beam in a static magnetic field, taking into account the various kinds of atomic coherence (Zeeman, hyperfine, and optical). The pumping lasers are monochromatic and in resonance with the (5S(1/2),F=1 <-> 5P(1/2),F'=1) transition. By varying the polarization configuration of the pumping lasers, we find that the pumping efficiency is substantially enhanced when a sigma-polarized laser and a pi-polarized laser are counterpropagating. In this case, the pumping efficiency remains high even in a weak magnetic field, which explains qualitatively experimental data reported previously from a cesium beam experiment. [S1050-2947(98)07810-X]. [References: 21]