Spectral narrowing of selective reflection

M. F. H. Schuurmans

A theory for the spectral narrowing of selective reflection near a resonance line of an atomic vapor is developed. The narrowing is ascribed to transient polarization behaviour of vapor atoms associated with wall collisions. For normally incident light the reflectivity of a glass-vapor interface is calculated both for diffuse and for specular wall collisions and for a symmetric distribution of atomic velocities. The theoretical results are compared with recent experimental results.

Mots clés: atomic collision processes; atomic spectra; spectral line breadth

Domaines: Articles anciens

M. F. H. Schuurmans. Spectral narrowing of selective reflection. Journal de Physique, 1976, 37 (5), pp.469-485. ⟨10.1051/jphys:01976003705046900⟩. ⟨jpa-00208442⟩