New feature in selective reflection with a highly parallel window: phase-tunable homodyne detection of the radiated atomic field

• Published in: The European physical journal. D, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 265 - 273
• Main Authors: PAPOYAN, A. V, GRIGORYAN, G. G, SHMAVONYAN, S. V, SARKISYAN, D, GUENA, J, LINTZ, M, BOUCHIAT, M. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis Springer 01-08-2004; Bologna Società italiana di fisica; Berlin EDP sciences; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular physics; Atomic Physics; Atomic properties and interactions with photons; Edge and boundary effects; reflection and refraction; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Infrared, submillimeter wave, microwave and radiowave instruments, equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Intensities and shapes of atomic spectral lines; Line shapes, widths, and shifts; Optics; Physics; Time-resolved optical spectroscopies and other ultrafast optical measurements in condensed matter; Wave optics; Line shape; Reflection spectrum; Frequency locking; Tunable lasers; Digital simulation; Laser spectroscopy; Homodyne detection; Cesium Atoms; Experimental study; Resonance line; homodyne detection; cesium; selective reflection; sub-doppler spectroscopy; laser frequency stabilization
• ISSN: 1434-6060; 1434-6079
• DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2004-00088-0

Selective reflection (SR) of light from a cesium vapor-sapphire interface close to the D-2 resonance line has been studied by use of a sapphire window with highly parallel surfaces. Temperature-tuning of the Fabry-Perot behaviour of the window [Jahier et al. , Appl. Phys. B 71, 561 (2000)], resulting in a change of 0.5 to 26% of the window reflection coefficient, dramatically affects both the magnitude and lineshape of the SR resonant atomic signal. For nearly zero window reflection, the case of particular interest, the absorptive properties of the atomic medium govern the signal shape, as opposed to the usual dispersive ones in the ördinary\" SR. This is a manifestation of homodyne detection of the radiated atomic field. The numerical simulation based on a model, which accounts for all the processes involved, shows a good agreement with the experimental spectra. Possible applications for laser and atomic spectroscopy, in particular tunable locking of laser frequency, are discussed.