Manipulating excited state hyperfine level populations in an atomic laser through electronic spin polarization: controlling upper laser level degeneracy and small signal gain
Abstract
Anisotropic coherent radiation has been generated from an isotropic medium, in the absence of an external magnetic field, by the spin polarization of an atomic excited state. Lasing on specific hyperfine lines of the6p2P32→6s2S12(D2) transition of Cs at 852.1 nm has been realized by photoexciting Cs-rare gas thermal collision pairs with a circularly-polarized (σ+) optical field. Subsequent dissociation of the transient Cs-rare gasB2Σ12+diatomic molecule selectively populates theF= 4, 5 hyperfine levels of theCs 6p2P32state. Not only does electronic spin polarization of the upper laser level yield circularly-polarized coherent emission, but the effective degeneracy (g2) of the6p2P32state is altered by the non-statistical hyperfine state population distribution, thereby permitting control of the laser small signal gain with an elliptically-polarized pump optical field. TheD2laser efficiency and output power correlate directly with the molecular orbital structure of the Cs-rare gasB2Σ+state in the region of internuclear separation at which the diatomic complex is born.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1364/oe.25.029676
Entities
People
- A E Mironov
- J. G. Eden
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research