Electromagnetically induced absorption with sub-kHz spectral width in a paraffin-coated Rb vapor cell

Abstract

We report on electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) with sub-kHz spectral width in a paraffin-coated Rb vapor cell in the Hanle configuration of the 5S(1/2)(F=2)-5P(3/2)(F'=3) transition of 87Rb atoms. Using a linearly polarized laser, the spectral width of the Hanle EIA spectrum was measured to be 0.55 mG (390 Hz). The narrow spectral width was due to the maintaining of atomic coherence between ground states while atoms collided with the anti-relaxation coated wall of the Rb vapor cell. Under a weak transverse residual magnetic field, the angle between the transverse residual magnetic field and the direction of linear polarization affected the magnitude of the narrow Hanle EIA spectrum. This is because of the change of atomic magnetic momentum due to the weak transverse residual magnetic field around the zero value of the longitudinal magnetic field.