APPLICATION OF ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY TO MEASURING STRONG INHOMOGENEOUS MAGNETIC FIELDS

Abstract

Using the spectrum of selective reflection (SR) of laser radiation from the boundary of the surface of the dielectric window of the spectroscopic nanocells – pairs of rubidium atoms, the value of the magnetic field applied to the nanocell is measured. A method is proposed for calculating the magnetic induction B in the range of 0.1–6.0 kG based on the ratio of the frequency intervals between atomic transitions, which greatly simplifies the determination of B, particularly, there is no need for a reference spectrum at B = 0. To implement the SR process a 300-nm column of vapors of Rb atoms is used, and atomic transitions with a sub- Doppler spectral width of 80–90 MHz are formed. This leads to frequency separation of transitions in SR spectrum that is important for the proposed method. SR spectrum can be analyzed using a specially designed computer program that accelerates the data processing. The small thickness of the vapor column allows high spatial resolution, which is important in the case of inhomogeneous magnetic fields.