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Selective addressing of high-rank atomic polarization moments

V. V. Yashchuk·D. Budker·W. Gawlik·D. F. Kimball·Yu. P. Malakyan·S. M. Rochester
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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.

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V. V. Yashchuk, D. Budker, W. Gawlik, D. F. Kimball, Yu. P. Malakyan, S. M. Rochester. 2003-02-22. Selective addressing of high-rank atomic polarization moments. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.90.253001

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