Open AccessFemtosecond laser fluorescence and propagation in very dense potassium vapor
Author(s) -
Y. Makdisi,
J. Kokaj,
K. Afrousheh,
Radhika V. Nair,
Joseph Mathew,
Goran Pichler
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.030306
Subject(s) - femtosecond , rubidium , fluorescence , laser , materials science , optics , laser induced fluorescence , resonance fluorescence , potassium , emission spectrum , atomic physics , spectral line , physics , astronomy , metallurgy
Femtosecond (fs) laser propagation and fluorescence of dense potassium vapor was studied, and the spectral region around the first and the second doublets of the principal series lines of potassium atoms was investigated. In our search we did not observe the conical emission in the far field, although it was previously observed in the case of rubidium. We discuss the possible reason of this unexpected result. The fluorescence spectrum revealed Rb impurity resonance lines in emission due to the collisional redistribution from the K(4p) levels into the Rb(5p) levels. In the forward propagation of 400 nm femtosecond light we observed the molecular band red shifted from potassium second doublet. However, no molecular spectrum was observed when the mode-locked fs laser light was discretely tuned within the wings of the first resonance lines, at 770 nm.