Correlation function of spin noise due to atomic diffusion

Abstract

We use paramagnetic Faraday rotation to study spin noise spectrum from unpolarized Rb vapor in a tightly focused probe beam in the presence of N$_2$ buffer gas. We derive an analytical form for the diffusion component of the spin noise time-correlation function in a Gaussian probe beam. We also obtain analytical forms for the frequency spectrum of the spin noise in the limit of a tightly focused or a collimated Gaussian beam in the presence of diffusion. In particular, we find that in a tightly focused probe beam the spectral lineshape can be independent of the buffer gas pressure. Experimentally, we find good agreement between the calculated and measured spin noise spectra for N$_2$ gas pressures ranging from 56 to 820 torr.