Efficiency of a 85Rb Filter in Optical Pumping of 87Rb

Abstract

The population of the F=2 sublevels of the ²S_½ state of ⁸⁷Rb may be enhanced at the expense of the F=1 levels by illuminating the ⁸⁷Rb with ⁸⁷Rb resonance radiation which is first passed through a ⁸⁵Rb cell, thus removing the component of light which stimulates transitions from the F=2 levels. The effectiveness of the ⁸⁵Rb cell in transmitting the hyperfine line which produces population inversion while rejecting the depumping lines has been measured.