D2-Line Spectroscopy of Potassium Atoms in an Optical Nanocell
摘要
Features of transmission spectra of laser radiation of the D2-line through a nanocell with a potassium-atom vapor column of variable thickness in the range 300–2000 nm are investigated. It is shown that at low laser radiation intensities, a narrowing of the resonance transmission spectrum is observed at thicknesses L = (2n + 1)λ/2 (n is an integer) and a broadening of the spectrum, at thicknesses L = nλ. Velocity-selective optical pumping resonances appear in the transmission spectrum of the nanocell if the laser radiation intensity is increased. They are located at atomic transitions and have a spectral width 13 times smaller than the Doppler width. Resonances in the nanocell are compared with resonances formed by the known saturated absorption technique. The results can be used to form narrow optical resonances in miniature devices containing atomic vapors.