2008/02/21 by Béatrice Chatel, B. Chatel, Damien Bigourd +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Quantum chaos and dynamical systems #Quantum optics and atomic interactions #physics.atom-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0953-4075/41/7/074023
published as Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 41 (2008) 074023
arxiv created 2008/02/21 · openalex publication_date 2008/03/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Spin precession in rubidium atoms is investigated through a pump–probe technique. The excited wave packet corresponds to a precession of spin and orbital angular momentum around the total angular momentum. We show that using shaped laser pulses allows us to control this dynamics. With a Fourier transform limited pulse, the wave packet is initially prepared in the bright state (coupled to the initial state) whereas a pulse presenting a π step in the spectral phase prepares the wave packet in the dark state (uncoupled to the initial state).