Biological and Chemical Physics Commons^™

Experimental Fine-Structure Branching Ratios For Na-Rare-Gas Optical Collisions, Mark D. Havey, F. T. Delahanty, Linda L. Vahala, Gary E. Copeland

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Experimental ratios for branching into the fine-structure levels of the Na 3p multiplet, as a consequence of an optical collision with He, Ne, Ar, Kr, or Xe, are reported. The process studied is Na(3s²S_1/2)+R+nhNNa(3^p2P_j)+R+(n-1)_hN, where R represents a rare-gas atom and where the laser frequency N is tuned in the wings of the Na resonance transitions. The branching ratios are defined as I(D1)/I(D2) where I(D1) and I(D2) are measured intensities of the atomic Na D1 and D2 lines. The ratios are determined for detunings ranging from about 650 …