Tunable resonance fluorescence monochromator with sub-Doppler spectral resolution

Abstract

A cesium-based resonance fluorescence monochromator with a spectral resolution of 200 MHz and a tunable response over the D(2) absorption line of cesium (380 MHz) is described. The narrow spectral response is achieved through excitation of a monokinetic population of the 6(2)P(3/2)( degrees ) state by arrangement of the excitation lasers in either a copropagating or a counterpropagating orientation. The narrow spectral response of the detector allows for excitation of specific hyperfine components involved in the 6(2)P(3/2)( degrees ) (F=3-5) to 6(2)D(5/2) (F=2-6) transition (917.23 nm). The selectivity gained through resolving specific hyperfine transitions allows for a photon detector that is both spectrally tunable and narrow. We report the sub-Doppler linewidths achieved through various laser beam orientations. We also describe how these beam geometries can be applied to spectrally narrow and tunable image detection.