Optical Pumping With Laser-Induced Fluorescence

摘要

We describe a new procedure for optical pumping that is based on laser-inducedfluorescence (LIF). The procedure is demonstrated by optically exciting a sample of Rb85 atoms, which then create a population imbalance between the ground state hyperfine levels of Rb87 by 'LIF depopulation pumping.' Though optical pumping with this technique increases the intensity-dependent light-shift coefficient (i.e., ac Stark shift) of the Rb87 0-0 hyperfine transition, it reduces the frequency-dependent light-shift coefficient by at least an order of magnitude. Since the stabilization of the diode laser wavelength is a significant challenge in the development of laser-pumped gas-cell atomic clocks, it is anticipated that optical pumping with LIF will be of benefit to atomic clock technology.