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Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Physics Faculty Publications

Sodium

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Physics

Spectroscopy Of Atoms Confined To The Single Node Of A Standing Wave In A Parallel-Plate Cavity, V. Sandoghar, C. I. Sukenik, S. Haroche, E. A. Hinds Mar 1996

Spectroscopy Of Atoms Confined To The Single Node Of A Standing Wave In A Parallel-Plate Cavity, V. Sandoghar, C. I. Sukenik, S. Haroche, E. A. Hinds

Physics Faculty Publications

We have performed spectroscopy on sodium atoms that are optically channeled in the single node of a laser standing wave set up across a parallel-plate cavity. Using this technique we have extended our previous measurement of the Lennard-Jones van der Waals energy-level shift [Sandoghdar et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 3432 (1992)] down to a cavity width of ~500 nm. We discuss the applications of this technique to the precise measurement of atom-surface distances.


Measurement Of The Casimir-Polder Force, C. I. Sukenik, M. G. Boshier, S. Cho, V. Sandoghdar, E. A. Hinds Feb 1993

Measurement Of The Casimir-Polder Force, C. I. Sukenik, M. G. Boshier, S. Cho, V. Sandoghdar, E. A. Hinds

Physics Faculty Publications

The authors have studied the deflection of ground-state sodium atoms passing through a micron-sized parallel-plate cavity by measuring the intensity of a sodium atomic beam transmitted through the cavity as a function of cavity plate separation. This experiment provides clear evidence for the existence of the Casimir-Polder force, which is due to modification of the ground-state Lamb shift in the confined space of a cavity. The results confirm the magnitude of the force and the distance dependence predicted by quantum electrodynamics.


Direct Measurement Of The Van Der Waals Interaction Between An Atom And Its Images In A Micron-Sized Cavity, V. Sandoghdar, C. I. Sukenik, E. A. Hinds, S. Haroche Jun 1992

Direct Measurement Of The Van Der Waals Interaction Between An Atom And Its Images In A Micron-Sized Cavity, V. Sandoghdar, C. I. Sukenik, E. A. Hinds, S. Haroche

Physics Faculty Publications

The authors have measured by laser spectroscopy the energy of interaction between a sodium atom and its images in the walls of a micron-sized cavity. This cavity-QED study is the first direct quantitative test of the Lennard-Jones van der Waals interaction as a function of controlled atom-surface separation and mean-square electric dipole moment.