Abstract
We analyze theoretically and experimentally the existence of a magic frequency for which the absorption of a linearly polarized light beam by a vapor of alkali-metal atoms is independent of the population distribution among the Zeeman sublevels and the angle between the beam and a magnetic field. The phenomenon originates from a peculiar cancellation of the contributions of higher moments of the atomic density matrix, and is described using the Wigner-Eckart theorem and inherent properties of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. One important application is the robust measurement of the hyperfine population.
- Received 10 June 2013
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.053004
© 2013 American Physical Society
Synopsis
A “Magic Frequency” for Atomic Spectroscopy
Published 1 August 2013
When light is chosen with a special frequency, its absorption by a cloud of atoms is independent of their internal orientation.
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