Electromagnetically induced transparency and two-photon absorption in the ladder system in thin columns of atomic vapors

Abstract

Experimental results of the study of processes of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and two-photon absorption (TPA) are presented for the ladder Ξ-system obtained using the 5S-5P-nD, mS system of levels of the 85Rb and 87Rb atoms with n = 5, 26, and 27 and m = 39 and 48. To perform these studies, a high-temperature optical cell was designed with several regions with the following thicknesses L: 2 mm, 0.7 mm, and the region of 2–6 μm. The advantages of using thin cells over ordinary cells several centimeters thick are demonstrated. It is shown that the EIT resonance parameters for n = 5, 26, and 27 deteriorate insignificantly for thickness down to 700 μm. The TPA is recorded with the cell thickness decreasing down to L = 6 μm. It is shown that using the EIT and TPA processes makes it possible to measure the hyperfine and fine structures of highlying atomic levels. The influence of the cell walls is appreciable in recording the EIT resonances in the system 5S-5P-39S with L = 0.7 mm and in the system 5S-5P-48S with L = 2 mm. Possible applications of the processes studied are indicated.