Polarization-Dependent Evanescent Optical Field Interaction with Atom and Its Effect on Atomic Emission Spectra

In this report, we present experimental results on evanescent optical field (EOF) interaction with 85Rb vapor atoms. A circularly polarized EOF, 780 nm in wavelength, optically pumps the 85Rb atoms from its upper ground state to its D2 excited state. A probe beam connecting the lower ground state of D2 transition stimulates emission of radiation from the excited atoms, which indicates additional atomic population excited by the circularly polarized EOF. Theoretical analysis and experimental results indicate that the circularly polarized EOF excites the D2 transition from 85Rb(52S1/2, F = 3, m F = ±1) ground state to excited state (52P3/2, F’ = 3, m F = 0) that creates an additional population to this state, which can be detected with the help of a probe laser beam.