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Direct measurement of the fine-structure interval in alkali atoms using diode lasers

Ayan Banerjee, Umakant D. Rapol, Vasant Natarajan

physics.atom-pharXiv:physics/0204020

Abstract

We demonstrate a technique for directly measuring the fine-structure interval in alkali atoms using two frequency-stabilized diode lasers. Each laser has a linewidth of order 1 MHz and precise tunability: one laser is tuned to a hyperfine transition in the D1 line, and the other laser to a hyperfine transition in the D2 line. The outputs of the lasers are fed into a scanning Michelson interferometer that measures the ratio of their wavelengths accurately. To illustrate the technique, we measure the fine-structure interval in Rb, and obtain a value of 237.6000(3)(5) cm-1 for the hyperfine-free 5P3/2 - 5P1/2 interval.

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