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Title: Spectroscopy of the three-photon laser excitation of cold Rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap

Journal Article · · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

The spectra of the three-photon laser excitation 5S{sub 1/2} {yields} 5P{sub 3/2} {yields} 6S{sub 1/2}nP of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in an operating magneto-optical trap based on continuous single-frequency lasers at each stage are studied. These spectra contain two partly overlapping peaks of different amplitudes, which correspond to coherent three-photon excitation and incoherent three-step excitation due to the presence of two different ways of excitation through the dressed states of intermediate levels. A four-level theoretical model based on optical Bloch equations is developed to analyze these spectra. Good agreement between the experimental and calculated data is achieved by introducing additional decay of optical coherence induced by a finite laser line width and other broadening sources (stray electromagnetic fields, residual Doppler broadening, interatomic interactions) into the model.

OSTI ID:
22126494
Journal Information:
Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 5; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7761
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English