Theory of spectroscopy in an optically pumped effusive vapor
- Department of Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 (Australia)
- Department of Physics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009 (Australia)
We present a theoretical framework for studying spatially dependent absorption in a thermal vapor of multilevel atoms, of arbitrary optical thickness. The atomic state dynamics, governed by a standard atom-optical master equation, are self-consistently coupled to the axial evolution of the probe beam intensity and the effusive gas dynamics. We derive steady-state equations for the spatially varying distributions of atomic populations and the probe beam intensity. From the latter, absorption coefficients in both the saturated and unsaturated regimes can be calculated. We present solutions to the resulting equations at various levels of approximation, including an example of the full numerical solution of a saturated, optically thick vapor of three-level atoms, demonstrating a breakdown of Beer's law, among other measurable effects.
- OSTI ID:
- 21408528
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. A, Vol. 81, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.033848; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 1050-2947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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