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Saturable nonlinear refraction in hot atomic vapor

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-7300 (United States)

Atomic vapors make flexible and useful nonlinear optical media when light is detuned far from resonances. However, few direct measurements of their nonlinear coefficients have been performed to date. We present a measurement of the Kerr coefficient for various detunings to both the red and blue of the D2 line in hot atomic rubidium vapor. Saturation effects complicate the interpretation of the standard z-scan method, but a simple saturation model agrees well with our data. We find values of n{sub 2}{approx_equal}{+-}10{sup -7} cm{sup 2}/W for 1 GHz detunings from the D2 line.

OSTI ID:
20640779
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 69; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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