Quantum Optics Seminar: Prof. Ifan G. Hughes, Durham University

Laser spectroscopy of alkali-metal thermal vapours

The study of light propagation through thermal atomic vapours subject to external magnetic fields is a flourishing area of research. At Durham we have spent 20 years studying the spectroscopy of alkali-metal vapours. Our electric susceptibility code ElecSus is used extensively to model the atom-light interactions. The applications range from devices (compact optical isolators, narrow-line filters) to fundamental physics (quantum optics, single-photon sources). In the talk I will describe experimental and theoretical work to model the electric susceptibility of a vapour of alkali-metal atoms in a magnetic field.