Phase shifts and intensity dependence in frequency-modulation spectroscopy

Abstract

We discuss experimental observations of an induced phase shift of the rf signal produced in frequency-modulated saturated-absorption measurements under the conditions of large probe-beam intensities. This phase shift can be understood in terms of the phase difference between the phase modulation of the optical driving field and the steady-state macroscopic polarization of the medium. We also present theoretically calculated spectra that are based on the optical Bloch equations and that are in excellent agreement with the experimental results.