Abstract
We demonstrate that the intriguing 830 nm coherent emission, which is observed when sodium vapor is pumped with a high-power pulsed laser tuned near the 3S→4D two-photon transition, is due to an axially phase-matched six-wave mixing process. This conclusion is based upon the observation of emission near 584 nm, which is coupled to the 830 nm emission in the six-wave mixing process: ω1+ω2=2ωL−ω4D→4P −ω4P→3D . In addition, we have observed coherent emission near 1.16 μm, which is due to an analogous process involving cascade through the 4S (as opposed to the 3D) state. We calculate the wavelengths of all photons involved in these processes using the standard formulas of parametric wave-mixing theory, and show that they can be predicted to within experimental uncertainties. Finally we report observations of significant blue shifts of the 830 nm and 1.16 μm emissions in a mixed sodium-potassium vapor. These shifts can be readily understood by considering the effect of the potassium on the frequency-dependent refractive index of the vapor. Due to these results, other recent interpretations of the 830 nm emission as stimulated excimer emission on the Na2 13Σ +g →13Σ +u band must now be rejected.
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Luh, W.T., Li, Y. & Huennekens, J. 830 nm emission in sodium vapor. Appl. Phys. B 49, 349–359 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00324185
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00324185