Coherent population pumping in a bright state

Abstract

We demonstrate resonances due to coherent population pumping in a bright state (CBS), using magnetic sublevels of the closed $F_g=2\to F_e=3$ transition in ${}^{87}$Rb. The experiments are performed at room temperature vapor in two kinds of cells---one that is pure and the second that contains a buffer gas of Ne at 20 torr. We also present the effect of pump power variation on the CBS linewidth, and explain the behavior by using a power-dependent scattering rate. The experimentally observed CBS resonances are supported by a density-matrix analysis of the system.

10 pages, 6 figures