Large frequency shifts of absorption profiles due to the combination of optical pumping, light shift, and magnetic fields in sodium vapor

Abstract

he absorption profiles of left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized laser light propagating through sodium vapor are asymmetric and considerably frequency shifted if small static magnetic fields are present. Using an analytical model we show how optical pumping ‘‘enhances’’ the laser-induced light shift from the kilohertz to the gigahertz range. We compare the analytical results with experimental data obtained from the homogeneously broadened Na D1 transition.