Polarization effects and depolarizing collisions in atomic vapour and molecular gas

Abstract

Polarization effects in gases are investigated by two methods of coherent spectroscopy - stimulated photon echo in molecular gas and laser-induced fluorescence in atomic vapour. A well developed photon echo experimental technique permitted us not only to measure relaxation rates of population, orientation and alignment on degenerated resonant levels in molecular gas but also to study their dependence on particles' longitudinal velocity. The degree of polarization of laser-induced fluorescence in Yb vapour in a mixture with Xe proves a large contribution of depolarizing collisions. The complicated non-exponential fluorescence decay at higher Yb pressures is explained by the radiation trapping.