Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation and Zeeman and hyperfine relaxation of potassium atoms in a paraffin-coated cell

Journal Article · Wed Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.74.053415· OSTI ID:20974768

Guzman, J S; Stalnaker, J E; Tsigutkin, K ^[1]; Wojciechowski, A ^[2]; Yashchuk, V V ^[3]; Budker, D ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300 (United States)
2. Centrum Badan Magnetooptycznych, Instytut Fizyki im. M. Smoluchowskiego, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Krakow (Poland)
3. Advanced Light Source Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

Nonlinear magneto-optical Faraday rotation (NMOR) on the potassium D1 and D2 lines was used to study Zeeman relaxation rates in an antirelaxation paraffin-coated 3-cm-diameter potassium vapor cell. Intrinsic Zeeman relaxation rates of {gamma}{sup NMOR}/2{pi}=2.0(6) Hz were observed. The relatively small hyperfine intervals in potassium lead to significant differences in NMOR in potassium compared to rubidium and cesium. Using laser optical pumping, widths and frequency shifts were also determined for transitions between ground-state hyperfine sublevels of {sup 39}K atoms contained in the same paraffin-coated cell. The intrinsic hyperfine relaxation rate of {gamma}{sub expt}{sup hf}/2{pi}=10.6(7) Hz and a shift of -9.1(2) Hz were observed. These results show that adiabatic relaxation gives only a small contribution to the overall hyperfine relaxation in the case of potassium, and the relaxation is dominated by other mechanisms similar to those observed in previous studies with rubidium.

• OSTI ID: 20974768
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 74; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
CESIUM
FARADAY EFFECT
GROUND STATES
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
LASER RADIATION
NONLINEAR OPTICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OPTICAL PUMPING
PARAFFIN
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
POTASSIUM
POTASSIUM 39
RELAXATION
ROTATION
RUBIDIUM
VAPORS
ZEEMAN EFFECT