Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Saturation of three-photon ionization of atomic hydrogen and deuterium at 243 nm

Journal Article · · Opt. Lett.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.14.000015· OSTI ID:6590685
Two-photon-resonant, three-photon ionization of atomic hydrogen and deuterium is performed at 243 nm, and the ions are detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The power dependence of the 1S--2S two-photon excitation and one-photon ionization of 2S hydrogen and deuterium are determined. The ionization step saturates at 4 x 10/sup 6/ W/cm/sup 2/. The two-photon step-power dependence varies with laser linewidth, with saturation occurring between 1 x 10/sup 7/ and 3 x 10/sup 7/ W/cm/sup 2/. The extraction electric field in the mass spectrometer does not affect the 2S excitation. Strong signals are recorded at atomic concentrations of 10/sup 5/ atoms/cm/sup 3/. Nonresonant ionization of background gases producing H/sup +/ and D/sup +/ is minimized.
Research Organization:
ATandT Bell Laboratories, 600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
OSTI ID:
6590685
Journal Information:
Opt. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Opt. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 14:1; ISSN OPLED
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English