Building a Michelson Interferometer for a Saturated Absorption Spectroscopy Apparatus

Document Type

Poster

Campus where you would like to present

Ellensburg

Event Website

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source

Start Date

18-5-2020

Abstract

Saturated absorption spectroscopy is a method of observing atomic state transitions that are normally obscured by Doppler broadening of the atomic spectral absorption lines. The goal of the experiment was to build a Michelson interferometer for the laser in a rubidium saturated absorption spectroscopy apparatus for improving the resolution of measurements of atomic transition frequency separations. Progress on aligning the interferometer was held back by an interference pattern of unknown origin in the saturated absorption signal. The likely cause of the interference was determined to be the probe beam of the laser interfering with the pump beam of the laser at the detector due to reflections inside the rubidium cell. Plans were developed to realign the pump beam of the laser. Preliminary results obtained before the project was unavoidably interrupted and plans for future work will be presented.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Michael Braunstein

Department/Program

Physics

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May 18th, 12:00 PM

Building a Michelson Interferometer for a Saturated Absorption Spectroscopy Apparatus

Ellensburg

Saturated absorption spectroscopy is a method of observing atomic state transitions that are normally obscured by Doppler broadening of the atomic spectral absorption lines. The goal of the experiment was to build a Michelson interferometer for the laser in a rubidium saturated absorption spectroscopy apparatus for improving the resolution of measurements of atomic transition frequency separations. Progress on aligning the interferometer was held back by an interference pattern of unknown origin in the saturated absorption signal. The likely cause of the interference was determined to be the probe beam of the laser interfering with the pump beam of the laser at the detector due to reflections inside the rubidium cell. Plans were developed to realign the pump beam of the laser. Preliminary results obtained before the project was unavoidably interrupted and plans for future work will be presented.

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2020/COTS/95