Selective addressing of high-rank atomic polarization moments

Abstract

We describe a method of selective generation and study of polarization moments of up to the highest rank $κ=2F$ possible for a quantum state with total angular momentum $F$. The technique is based on nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with frequency-modulated light. Various polarization moments are distinguished by the periodicity of light-polarization rotation induced by the atoms during Larmor precession and exhibit distinct light-intensity and frequency dependences. We apply the method to study polarization moments of $^{87}$Rb atoms contained in a vapor cell with antirelaxation coating. Distinct ultra-narrow (1-Hz wide) resonances, corresponding to different multipoles, appear in the magnetic-field dependence of the optical rotation. The use of the highest-multipole resonances has important applications in quantum and nonlinear optics and in magnetometry.