Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Experimental Investigation Of Long-Lived "Zeke" Rydberg States In Ultracold Argon, Gambhir Ranjit

Physics Theses & Dissertations

There is considerable interest in the dynamics of ultracold plasmas and ultracold Rydberg gases. Ultracold plasmas are typically formed by photo-excitation of ultracold atoms to an energy region near (both above and below) an ionization threshold. Excitation to bound, highly-excited Rydberg states can lead to formation of a plasma via several processes, including collisions between Rydberg atoms. Three-body recombination in an ultracold plasma can also result in the production of ultracold Rydberg atoms. Understanding the dynamics of ultracold Rydberg gases is therefore important for understanding the dynamics of ultracold plasmas. In this dissertation, we have investigated the formation and survival …

The Effects Of Fabry-Perot Fringing On The Sensitivity Of A Wavelength Modulation Experiment, Patrick C. Shea

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Parasitic Fabry-Perot etaloning plagues many experiments which use wavelength modulation spectroscopy. This fringing, which is an artifact that almost always appears in such experiments, arises from multiple reflections in the optical elements in the experimental apparatus. The etaloning plays a detrimental role and limits the ultimate sensitivity of wavelength modulation spectroscopy experiments. The research described in this thesis investigates this phenomenon. Experimental results are presented which show that when the Q-factor of the parasitic etalon is smaller that that of the absorption line being measured, significant improvement in the Signal to Fringe Noise Ratio can be obtained through the use …

Characterization Of Iron Oxides And Atmospheric Corrosion Of Steel, Sei Jin Oh

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The study of corrosion behavior was performed using three different analytical techniques, which provided information on the formation, development and layering of iron oxides on the corrosion products as a function of atmospheric conditions, exposure time and type of steel. In particular, the protective layer formed on weathering steel was investigated as a function of different amounts of alloying elements in the steel, atmospheric conditions and exposure times. Combined together, the results provided a better understanding of the atmospheric corrosion behavior of steel, and formed a part of database of the atmospheric corrosion characteristics.

Accurate characterization of the iron oxides …

Two-Photon Quantum Interference Polarization Spectroscopy: Measurements Of Transition Matrix Elements In Atomic Rubidium, Alexander I. Beger

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The estimation of the adequacy of theoretical calculations on the atomic structure requires availability of the precise experimental data on radiative properties of the atoms. Such data is also required in astronomy and some important areas of technology. The lack of precision of traditional spectroscopic studies of atom presents a fundamental obstacle for progress in these areas. For example, in atomic rubidium, the best precision of the traditional spectroscopic results is on the order of about 1 - 5%, which does not allow for clear assessment of the latest sophisticated theoretical calculations on atomic rubidium structure, with emphasis on different, …

Measurement Of Hyperfine Coupling Constants Of The 5d²D₃/₂ And 5d²D₅/₂ Levels In Atomic Cesium Using Polarization Quantum Beat Spectroscopy, Wo Yei

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Accurate measurements of hyperfine constants have revealed effects that can not be explained by a simple hydrogenic picture of the alkali atoms such as cesium [1-3]. More precise experimental results and theoretical treatments are in demand for the alkali elements, especially for atomic cesium because of its wide range of applications. Therefore, it is essential to understand its atomic and nuclear structure. Precision measurement of its excited-states properties such as hyperfine structure provides global information on nuclear charge and current distributions and also serves as a check to the theory and a calibration of calculated excited state wave functions. Accurate …

Excited-State Magnesium-Rare Gas Optical Collisions, Rosemary A. Lasell

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Polarization and intensity spectra have been obtained for excited-state magnesium (3s3p ¹P₁) - rare gas optical collisions. The magnesium was excited by a linearly polarized laser tuned to the 3s²1s₀ → 3s3p ¹P₁ atomic transition at 285 nm. A second linearly polarized laser was tuned near the 3s3p ¹P₁ → 3s5s ¹S₀ transition at 571 nm (experiment A) and near the 3s3p ¹P₁ → 3s4d ¹D₂ transition at 553 nm (experiment B). The polarization vector of the second laser was oriented either parallel or …

Precision Measurement Of Relative Dipole Matrix Elements In Atomic Sodium, Rodney P. Meyer

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Relative dipole matrix elements are measured by means of a new spectroscopic technique called polarization interference spectroscopy. It is a two-color two-photon nonresonant process that maps the matrix elements into the energy domain by means of quantum mechanical interference. The technique measures the relative magnitude of the reduced matrix elements, particularly those involving excited states, to accuracies that are an order of magnitude better than previously available. Also, for the first time the relative phase of the reduced matrix elements is measured. The ratio of reduced matrix elements for the transitions 3s ²S_1/2 →3P ²P_3/2 →5s …

Theoretical Investigation Of Two-Color, Two-Photon, 6s(2)S(1/2) → 5d(2)D(J) → 11p(2)P(3/2) Excitation And Depolarization Spectra In Atomic Cesium, Boris Dobrydnev

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The theoretical investigation of two-photon, two-color intensity and depolarization spectra for the 6s²S_1/2 → 5d²D_j → 11p²P_3/2 transition in atomic caesium is considered. For quadrupole-dipole transitions the dependence of excitation from the ratio of reduced matrix elements is shown. The experimental method of determination of the value and sign of the ratio is proposed. Comparison of results for co- and counterpropagating beams revealed the strong dependence of the transition rate on the relative beam directions. Analysis of the influence of the external electric field on the process of absorption is presented. …

Strong Magnetic Field Effects And Molecular Processes With Applications To White Dwarfs, Phillip C. Stancil

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Radiative transitions of hydrogenlike atoms in external magnetic fields of strength applicable to magnetic white dwarfs, i.e. B < 10³ megagauss, have been investigated for field-free principal quantum numbers n < 6. Finite proton mass corrections are included. Relativistic corrections are also investigated. Transition probabilities are determined using the length, velocity, and acceleration forms of the electric dipole operator. Discrepancies between previous calculations and magnetic white dwarf observations of low-lying boundbound transitions have been studied. New results for high-lying transitions are also obtained.

The transition probability for the hydrogenlike 2s two-photon decay has been investigated and shown to increase substantially with field strength. The computed two-photon spectra show resonances and interference minima. Anomalous Zeeman depolarization features are found in computed two-photon polarization spectra of alkali atoms in laboratory strength magnetic fields. A previously observed fine structure depolarization feature is shown to decay with decreasing field strength.

Investigation Of Alignment Dynamics In Mg-Ne And Mg-Ar Two-Photon Fractional Collisions, David Allen Olsgaard

Physics Theses & Dissertations

A new technique is used to observe the dynamics of electronic alignment in a dissociating collision complex. The technique requires the absorption of two optical photons during a single binary collision. Two exciting light fields are tuned into the wings of the 3s¹s₀-3p₁ and 3p¹p₁-5s¹s₀ resonances of Mg where strong collisions with rare gas atoms induce transitions between corresponding molecular states. The alignment produced in the intermediate state by the first excitation is probed by the second laser as a function of relative linear laser polarization and laser …

Rotationally Resolved Laser Spectroscopy Of The 3s2Σ+ ← 2p2ii Transition In 6li20ne And 7li20ne Van Der Waals Molecules, Chang Jae Lee

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The rotationally resolved absorption spectrum of the ⁶Li²⁰Ne and ⁷Li²⁰Ne 3s²Σ⁺ ← 2p² II transition has been observed. For each isotope, thirteen vibrational transitions from four vibrational levels (v"=0, 1, 2, and 3) of the lower 2p² II to six (v’=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) of the upper 3s*Σ⁺ electronic state have been rotationally analyzed. Adiabatic potentials and dissociation energies for both states have been obtained through an inverse perturbation analysis. For the 2p²II state, a well depth of 212(5) cm^-1 and an …

Absorption Cross-Sections Of Sodium Diatomic Molecules, Zeng-Shevan Fong

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The absorption cross sections of sodium dimers were studied using a heat pipe over operating in the non-heat-pipe mode. Three wavelength regions were observed. They are in the red, the green-blue, and the near ultraviolet regions. The absorption cross section depends on the wavelength of the incident light. Representative peak values for the v"=0 progression in the red and green-blue regions are 2.59 A sup 2 (average value) and 11.77 A sup 2 (T_ave=624 K). The value for the C greater than X transitions is several tenths A sup 2. The cross sections were measured from absorption spectra …

Partial Radiative Recombination Cross Sections For Excited States Of Hydrogen, Patricia M. Fazio

Physics Theses & Dissertations

In calculating the radiative recombination cross sections for interstellar H II regions usually only the electric dipole term in the expansion of the interaction Hamiltonian is kept. However, conditions present in these regions permit recombination into highly excited states and the "effective size" of the atom is not much less than the wavelength of the emitted photon. These physical conditions do not meet the requirements for making the dipole approximation. A higher order approximation is to keep an additional term in the expansion of the Hamiltonian, and, therefore, to include contributions of quadrupole transitions in the calculation of the partial …

A Theoretical Model For Calculation Of Molecular Stopping Power, Yuan-Jian Xu

Physics Theses & Dissertations

A modified local plasma model based on the work of Linhard-Winther, Bethe, Brown, and Walske is established. The Gordon-Kim's molecular charged density model is employed to obtain a formula to evaluate the stopping power of many useful molecular systems. The stopping power of H₂ and He gas was calculated for incident proton energy ranging from 100 KeV to 2.5 MeV. The stopping power of O₂, N₂ and water vapor was also calculated for incident proton energy ranging from 40 keV to 2.5 MeV. Good agreement with experimental data was obtained.

A discussion of molecular effects leading …

Close-Coupling Calculations For Naar, Nane, And Nahe, Linda Lindroth Vahala

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The non-adiabatic close-coupled theory, developed by Mies and by George, is employed in a time-independent molecular calculation for Na-rare gas collisions in a radiations field. The intensity of the Na D1/D2 lines is calculated for both blue- and red-wing excitation and is in good agreement with the experimental results of Havey, Copeland, and Wang for NaAr. The effects of different Born-Oppenheimer potentials on D1/D2 line intensity is considered by also treating NaNe and NaHe. The individual parity contributions to the line intensities are significantly different from each other.

Franck Condon Factors And R-Centeroids For Six Diatomic Molecules, Patricia M. Fazio

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The Franck Condon factor is defined as the square of the overlap integral and is so named because of its ties with the Franck Condon Principle. The r-centroid is the internuclear separation associated with the electronic transition of the diatomic molecule. The physical meaning of these integrals is discussed. Two methods for construction of the wavefunctions are presented. Both methods employ the Morse Potential Energy function. The first method calculates the integrals using the analytic wavefunction of Morse and the second method has numerically constructed wavefunct!ons. The twelve transitions and six diatomic molecules studied include; B ²Σ+ to X …

The Effects Of Proton Irradiation On The Absorption Of Multi Component Glasses, Marcia Frances Bartusiak

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Three Schott glasses typically used in space technology -­ LaK 21, KzFS N4, and LF 5 -- were irradiated with 85 MeV protons. Induced absorption spectra were determined for each glass after varying fluences of radiation. It was found that the spectra for each glass can be fitted with three Gaussian shaped bands in the near ultraviolet-visible region, while a fourth Gaussian characterizes the absorption edge. For doses up to 10⁷ rads, the dependence of the induced absorption a on total dose is accurately described by the saturating exponential function a(Φ)= a_s (1 - e-^{-b Φ} ) …

An Investigation Of A Gas Measurement Technique Employing Ultraviolet Excitation, Alphonso Vincent Diaz

Physics Theses & Dissertations

A study was undertaken to determine the general applicability of a temperature measurement technique which uses the fluorescence stimulated by a vacuum ultraviolet continuum as the indicator. This study was directed toward determining the temperature of nonradiating carbon monoxide. A number of ultraviolet radiation sources which produced high intensity in the region of l,150 A were investigated. This study led to the conclusion that the technique was not applicable to measurements in carbon monoxide within the present limits of' detectability.

Excitation Of Hydrogen Atoms By Fast Protons, Edward Ellis Fitchard

Physics Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis a theoretical study is made of excitation of hydrogenic atom by charged particles such as protons or electrons. The approximation to the cross section for an inelastic scattering process is obtained under the following radically simplifying assumptions. The projectile is represented in its initial and final state by plane waves. All distortions are neglected whether they originate in an inelastic process or an elastic deflections of the charged particle by the nucleus. The perturbation of the atomic orbits between which the projectile induces transitions is neglected. Nonrelativistic hydrogenic wave functions are used for the electronic states. In …